Warak Enab

Warak Enab is a light snack that can be eaten at any time of day and is one of the best meals to try in Qatari cuisine. The snack is made from vine leaves that have been packed with meat, lamb, and rice. Travelers will have no trouble finding the dish in Doha. Garlic, coriander, and pepper are commonly used in Warak Enab, which can be served with a slice of fresh lemon.

Ingredients:

1 jar grape leaves in a vinegar brine, drained (about 40-50 leaves), 1 1/2 cups rice, 2 tomatoes, chopped, 5 green onions, chopped, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 2 tbsp chopped mint, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt & pepper, 2 potatoes, sliced, 2-3 large tomatoes, chopped, 3/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup lemon juice, salt & pepper, Olives (black or green), sliced tomatoes

Instructions:

• For the insides, mix together a fresh collection of rinsed but raw rice, tomatoes, green onion, mint, parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Now all you need to do is wiggle those stubborn grape leaves out of the jar and begin wrapping them up. To do so, place the leaf backside up and place a small spoonful of filling by the stem end. Begin to roll the leaf from the stem end. After about one roll, fold the left and right sides in. Continue rolling.
• Add potato slices to the bottom of the pot. Then add the grape leaves. Stack them tightly together, making one neat layer on top of another. Keep rolling and rolling.
• Next, top with tomato slices. Pour on the olive oil and any juices at the bottom of the bowl that held the rice. Cover with a plate to keep the grape leaves from floating and unrolling, then top off with a lid. Simmer gently for about one hour. This will allow the potatoes at the bottom of the pot to get a nice crust. Then add the lemon juice and cook an additional hour.
• Arrange them on a plate (this is about 1/3 of them) and pile some of the lemony potatoes in the center. Garnish with the cooked and sliced tomatoes, as well as a few olives.