Have you always wanted to make those famous stuffed leaf dishes found in many Mediterranean cuisines, but thought you lacked the dexterity? To go along with my focus on Turkish "sarma" this month, I also prepared a photo guide to show you how to wrap meat filling with dark green, leafy vegetables like Swiss chard and collard greens.
It's actually very simple once you learn how. The most important thing is to have all your materials and ingredients ready beforehand and to make sure you have enough space to work.
I actually enjoy cutting sections of leaves and striving to make my "sarma" all the same size. You can choose to make them large and plump, or cut your leaves into smaller sections to make lots of bite-sized "sarma."
This takes more time, of course, but in my opinion, the smaller, the better. Go ahead and use this easy, step-by-step guide to teach you to wrap, while you try this recipe for Turkish "sarma" made with Swiss chard and meat filling.
All Things Stuffed And Wrapped -A Tribute to The "Dolma" and "Sarma"
Photo © Elizabeth Taviloglu, 2012