Dolmeh Felfel ~ Persian Stuffed Bell Peppers
Oh how I love Dolmeh! I really really do!! Let’s see so far I have posted Squash, Eggplant, and Grape Leaves Dolmeh around here!! Traditionally, in Iran they use green peppers for stuffing bell peppers, but since I love colors, I like to mix them up! Besides, green bell peppers are my least favorite taste while. My favorites are the yellow and orange ones!
Ingredients
4 bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup rice
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup parsley, packed
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup mint
2 tbsp dried tarragon
1 1/2 tbsp advieh
2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper
oil
First on the agenda. Cook rice in two cups of salted water. This should take about 20 minutes.
Look at these bell peppers! I love their bright color!! Take a pairing knife slightly cut the stems. Then cut the top portion of each pepper.
Carefully remove seeds and membranes with the help of the pairing knife and a teaspoon.
Place the peppers in a pot along with a cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Remover peppers and rinse with cold water. Set aside top side down to drain.
Small dice onion and mince garlic. Saute in some oil until translucent. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Saute until most of the juices evaporate.
In the mean time clean and wash herbs. Rough chop parsley and mint.
Once the meat is ready add 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix well.
First add cooked rice and mix well. Add fresh herbs, tarragon, and advieh. Mix well until all nicely incorporated. Taste seasoning and add more if needed.
Stuff each pepper and place the top back on each corresponding pepper.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, lemon juice and brewed saffron. Mix well then add peppers. Cook covered for 30 to 45 minutes on medium low until peppers are cooked.
February 12, 2011
I love the colors of the peppers and the filling as well. My mom makes something similar.
February 13, 2011
Yum, these look awesome. One of my favorite dishes for sure. I agree with you about the brightly colored bells. They’re so pretty and tasty!
February 13, 2011
Very colorful and delicious! We have a similar dish in Lebanese cuisine, except that we don’t cook the meat beforehand.
February 14, 2011
@ Bria, yes, indeed, they are soo yummy!
@ tasteofbeirut, I have noticed that not everyone cooks the meat in their dolmas like we do. I wonder which is the original way and how it got changed through time and various cooks!!
February 14, 2011
Hi Sanam,
Do you have any ideas what I can substitute the meat for to make it veggie?
Thanks!
February 14, 2011
Nasim, for a vegetarian version I would substitute the meat with either split peas or even black beans. 🙂
February 14, 2011
I was reading over the receipe and I am confused about the two amounts of avdieh in the ingredient list and then the tomato paste at the end with the juice. Could you help me please?
February 14, 2011
Cindy, thank you for catching my typo!! I mistakenly typed advieh for tomato paste. I have corrected the mistake in the ingredient list.
February 15, 2011
Hi Sanam! Having an Iranian boyfriend with a PURE PERSIAN TASTE requires me to learn a lot of Persian recipes. Dolmeh was the first PErsian recipe I tried to cook. For my version, I added some cooked lentils to the meat and rice. I didn’t add the mint though- or the dill. I only used some parsley and it was great!! I liked Eggplant Dolmeh the most!
March 11, 2013
I love your blog ,everything is explained in detail !!:)
April 11, 2013
Your blog is awesome!!! So happy I found it 🙂 A lot of the recipes are ones I grew up with and you explain it so easily. I just made this Dolmeh, it’s my first attempt…can’t wait to eat it! Thank you!
April 22, 2014
Love the recipe but I add some zereshk to it too.