Swiss Chard Rolls (Pazı Sarması) Recipe

Ingredients:

• 750 g swiss chards,
• 1 cup rice,
• 1 onion, chopped,
• 2 tbsps tomato paste,
• 2 tsps chilli powder,
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil,
• 1 handful of parsley, chopped,
• Salt, pepper and dried mint to taste,
• Water.

Preparation:

1. Wash and drain swiss chards,
2. Cover with hot water and set aside for 10 mins.,
3. Drain and cover with cold water,
4. For filling heat vegetable oil and add onions,
5. Cook until tender,
6. Add tomato paste and chilli powder and cook for 2 mins., constantly stirring,
7. Add rice and stir,
8. Add salt, pepper, dried mint and parsley and cook for another 2 mins.,
9. Remove the stalks of the chards with a knife and attach both sides together by putting one side onto the other,
10. Put filling on each chard leaf (the amount changed according to the size of the leaves) and roll as seen on the photos,
11. Make sure to cover the bottom of the pan with the few extra chard leaves (to prevent the rolls from sticking to the bottom of the pan), then place all rolls into the pan,
12. Cover 1-2 extra leaves on top,
13. Take a porcelain plate and put it upside down on top of the rolls. This will help the rolls keep their shapes,
14. Add some hot water (it should cover the rolls) and cook until rice is tender.

Bon appetit…