Vegetarian koupepia - stuffed vine leaves
Κουπέπια. Πηγή: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolma
A variety of vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, tomatoes and onions or even mushrooms are mixed with rice to form the stuffing of vine leaves. A vegetarian dish suitable for fasting.
Name - Recipe
Ντολμαδάκια νηστίσιμα.
Version A
3 zucchini, coarsely grated 5 carrots (medium), coarsely grated 1 tin mushrooms (whole) Salt Pepper Spearmint Cinnamon 1 tin tomato juice 3 glasses of white rice 1 large onion, chopped Parsley finely chopped Olive oil Vegetable stock (optional) Vine leaves or cabbage (as many as needed), which are soaked in hot water for a while to soften
Version B
½ kg of vine leaves 2 carrots, coarsely grated 2 small zucchini, coarsely grated 1 onion, finely chopped Parsley (20 sprigs), chopped 1 handful of spearmint, chopped 1/2 teaspoon pepper 5-6 mushrooms, cut in slices 2 tomatoes, grated 2 glasses of rice 1 glass of vegetable oil 1 glass of water
Version A
In a saucepan, add enough oil to cover its bottom and heat it. Add the onion, carrots and zucchini and stir. Season with salt and pepper and add some cinnamon. Wash the mushrooms well and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the pot along with the tomato juice (keep a bit for later), parsley and some spearmint and stir. Then add the rice, stir for five minutes and turn off the heat. Add the stuffing in each vine leaf or piece of cabbage leaf and fold it (to form a "package"). Place them in the pot in order. Put a plate a bit smaller in diameter than the pot's diameter on top of the koupepia to hold them in place. Pour a bit of olive oil and tomato juice and enough water upto the the plate. A vegetable stock may be added (optional). Simmer over low heat until the water has been absorbed. (Yiota Kyriakidou, 32 years old, Kyperounda)
Version B
Place the vine leaves in boiling water for 1 minute or less. Finely chop the onion and fry it. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and add the pepper, spearmint and parsley. Add the rice and mix. Put some stuffing on each vine leaf and roll it up (as if wrapping a package, see photo). Continue with the rest of them. Put the koupepia in the pot and add the oil and the water. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. (Panagiota Savva, 65 years old from Agios Ioannis of Agros)
Simmering in a pot.
Functional and symbolic role
Consumed during fasting.
Additional information and bibliography
Oral testimonies: Yiota Kyriakidou, 32 years old, Kyperounda (see. Yiota Kourri, P. and Lazarou, S. (eds.) (2007). Traditional recipes of the village of Kyperounda, unpublished data).
Panagiota Savva, 65 years old from Agios Ioannis of Agros. Recorded by Elena Savva, October 2010.
Stalo Lazarou, Elena Savva
Τύλιγμα κουπεπιών.
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