Iraqi-Style Dolma

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. Rinse the grape leaves to remove the brine, and blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 2–3 minutes until pliable.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, dill, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 30 ml olive oil, sumac, ground coriander, salt and black pepper. Mix well by hand until evenly combined.

For the sauce, stir together 2 tbsp tomato paste, 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, water, salt and black pepper. The sauce should be sweet-and-sour and fairly thin.

Place a leaf shiny side down, spoon 1 tbsp of filling near the base, fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Cut the cabbage leaves into manageable pieces if needed, and roll them the same way.

Coat the bottom of a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with the remaining olive oil, line it with a few cabbage leaves, and pack the dolma rolls tightly seam-side down. Don't overfill the rolls, as the rice will expand.

Pour the sauce in until it reaches the middle of the top layer of dolma, cover with a flat plate to keep the rolls from unrolling, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 15 minutes, then lower to the minimum and simmer, covered, for 60 minutes, until the rice and leaves are tender. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a little water.

Remove the pot from the heat, let the dolma rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a large platter or serve individually with the sweet-and-sour sauce.