Ingredients
* 500g vine or cabbage leaves (frunze de poamă sau varză): as thin as possible (cât mai subţiri posibil)
* 1 kilo of onions (capă)
* 1.5 cups of rice (căni de orez)
* 1 glass of olive oil (ulei de măsline)
* 3 cups of boiling water (căni de apă fierbinte)
* 1 tablespoon of pimento (lingură de cuişoare)
* 2-3 lumps of sugar (cuburi de zahăr)
* 1 lemon (lămâie)
* A pinch of salt (un vârf de sare)
* Chopped mint leaves (frunze de mintă fărămiţate)
* A pinch of black pepper (un vârf de piper negru)
Instructions
1. Peel the onions and cut them thinly. Sauté without oil and at a low heat.
2. When the onions’ colour is getting darker, add the oil.
3. Then add the rice and continue to sauté.
4. Next, add 1.5 cups of boiling water and put in the sugar and spices (pimento, black pepper, salt, mint).
5. Lower the heat and simmer until the rice absorbs all the water.
6. Now wrap a spoonful of the mixture in each vine leaf.
7. Lay all of them in the saucepan and squeeze a lemon over them.
8. Then put a plate on top of the parcels (to stop the vine leaves from opening) and add 1.5 cups of boiling water and bring back to the boil. When the water is boiling, lower the heat and cook until the water has all gone.
