The American's call it Sarma, the Egyptian's Warrick Innab and all the Mediterranean countries have a version of it. It can be served as a side dish or as a main dish with accompanying vegetables and salad. It is usually made with lamb, however, in Americanizing the recipe, we use beef.

Grape leaves (lg. jar)
2 lbs. ground beef
2 c. regular rice
1 lg. onion, chopped fine
1 or 2 bunches fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt & pepper
3 c. hot chicken broth (can use bouillon)

Mix together rice, meat, onion, cilantro and salt and pepper.

Remove the grape leaves from the jar and spread out flat. The large leaves may be cut in two, the smaller leaves can be used whole. Take a small amount of the meat mixture (about the size of the first two joints of your finger and shaped the same way) place on the edge of the grape leaf, fold in the sides and roll tightly. (Always make them as tight as possible so that they don't open during cooking.) Place seam side down in a large Dutch oven. When the bottom is covered, start another layer and so forth until you finish all the meat mixture. The meat and grape leaves might not come out exactly even, but the grape leaves can be put back in the jar and refrigerated for future use for up to a month or so. Place pan on top of the stove and add the hot chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes (check the broth that it doesn't boil dry and check top roll to ascertain that the rice is cooked) the broth should be cooked out and absorbed by the rolls. These can be refrigerated or frozen and heated later in a small amount of broth or vegetable oil.

Amount of people served depends upon whether serving for main dish or side dish, can also be used as appetizers. This will serve 4 to 6 people as a main dish.

Grape leaves can be purchased at deli type stores, bottled in California. Cilantro is used in Mexican food and can be purchased at most supermarkets. If not available in your area, ask your grocer.

Lebanese use chopped fresh mint.