Dolma is one of the most popular dishes in Armenian culture. Armenians often know more than 50 dolma recipes. And it is no surprise that Armenia also has a dolma (tolma) festival, where you will get to know almost all types of Armenian dolma. Dolma is prepared from minced lamb or beef mixed with rice, fresh herbs and spices, wrapped in grape or cabbage leaves. Many Armenians use seasonings such as coriander, dill, mint, pepper and cinnamon. The taste of the dolma varies in each region, including Artamet, Alashkert, and Etchmiadzin. This traditional cabbage dolma recipe and article were posted on October 10, 2015 by Grazing Nomads, a travel and food blog that features recipes from around the world, and stories and photos of the towns, cities, and local people and travel guides they meet along the way.
“We found the food in Armenia was a real treat, especially after the limited variety we found in Georgia,” says John Wood at Grazing Nomads. “Armenia’s land is very fertile and the locals take pride in using fresh and local produce. One dish we tasted in various traditional restaurants was the dolma, stuffed parcels of meat or/and rice wrapped in cabbage or grape leaves. Similar to those found in Greek and Turkish cuisine. However, the very best dolma we had was not in a restaurant.”
“After a long day of hitchhiking we were welcomed into a lovely family home in a town south of Yerevan, and presented with the mother’s delicious dolmas. Full of flavor and incredibly moist, we could not leave without begging for the recipe. Below is the recipe given to us by Marine and her daughter Anna. The secret to the tastiness of Marine’s dolmas is that they are boiled in tomato juice. Although they look ‘fiddly,’ once you have made the first dolma you will find they are incredibly quick and easy. And look great on the table.”
“Everywhere we went on our trip to Armenia we found friendly locals and were warmly welcomed,” says Wood. “Nearly every driver bought us food or drink, invited us home, some even invited us for picnics. The language barrier was not a problem, as people were just happy to help us and show us a part of their amazing country. We made lots of friends, some of which we hope to meet again and stay in touch with. We were genuinely overwhelmed and surprised by the kindness of people in Armenia. Not once were we asked for money. Although the sheer beauty and intense culture of Armenia was striking, it’s the people we met and what they showed or taught us that struck us and made this trip one of the most memorable so far.”
“The Dolma (Tolma) Festival in Armenia, also known as Uduli, is a festival that is held annually near the city of Armavir, Armenia. It began in 2011 and focuses on appreciation of Armenian cuisine, especially dolma, a traditional Armenian dish made of ground beef, lamb and spices wrapped in grape leaves, cabbage leaves and vegetables. During the festival, chefs from Armenia and other countries aim to cook different kinds of stuffed vegetable dishes known as dolma. During the competition, festival guests can watch Armenian dances, listen to songs, and taste the dolma. At the end of the festival, a jury chooses the best chef. The winner gets a special prize — a golden statue.“
The Delishably website writes: “Madhulika Dash is a senior writer for the Indian Express with over 13 years of writing experience. In 2016 she interviewed Sabyasachi Gorai, the chef-owner of India’s first Armenian café, Lavaash by Saby. In that interview, Chef Gorai stated that dolmas were made in Sardarapat 3,000 years ago. Due to military conflicts, Armenia became part of a larger empire. Armenian peoples and their culture expanded to Greece, then Turkey, and Iran. When Alexander the Great marched into Thebes in 335 B.C., he was astonished that in an area suffering from an acute food shortage, there were such sumptuous platters of food. The dolmas he saw, though made of simple ingredients, were impressive.”
