You will need: 2 cups of rice, one finally chopped onion, 2 cups of tomato purée, chopped meat is optional is optional, One bunch of each: parsley, dill, and cilantro leaves only, a handful of fresh mint leaves, Plain Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic

Instructions:

• Fresh grape leaves prep: wash the leaves thoroughly making sure both sides are clean. Stack them all facing the same direction
• Blanch them in hot water and a little olive oil use a pot that is just slightly bigger than the leaves so that they stay stacked
• After one minute flip the leaves to the other side
• When they are ready let them cool off and cut the little stems off with scissors
• In a bowl, place 2 cups of rice an one cup of finely chopped onion
• Wash all the greens very well and chopped leaves together in the food processor
• Add chopped greens to rice, onion. and meat
• Add tomato purée, salt, black pepper, dried mint, and 1/2 cup of olive oil
• Mix very well and after the stuffing will be ready
• When the stuffing is ready it’s time to stuff the leaves
• Cover the bottom of a nonstick pot with some grape leaves
• Then add a layer of tomato slices followed by a layer of onion slices, season with salt and pepper
• Arrange meat cubes in an even layer, the meat is optional
• Throw in some garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper
• Arrange the grape leaves and even layers
• Put some more garlic cloves between the grape leaves
• Drizzle some pomegranate molasses on top. Amount is as desired, I put 1/3 cup
• To a pot add 3 cups of stock, I used lamb stock. Add the juice of three lemons, 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, 1/3 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper
• Mix and bring to a boil
• After it has boiled slowly pour over the grape leaves
• Place a plate upside down on top, so that the grape leaves stay arranged in the even layers
• Cover the pot and once liquid inside starts to boil, lower heat to medium low and let simmer until grape leaves are fork tender, this will take 45 minutes to an hour
• Carefully drain any excess fluid and flip the grape leaves pot upside down on a large flat plate set aside for 15 minutes, then slowly remove the pot so the grape leaves stay arranged
• For the yogurt sauce: mash three cloves of garlic in a mortar, until you get a garlic paste. Peel cucumber and cut into very small pieces
• In a separate bowl, add mashed garlic and plain yogurt to cucumber
• Add a little dried salt dried mint and mix
• Enjoy!

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