What an excellent write-up!!! I had something similar with a friend in Iraq, his mom made it. Well, similar I suppose in this case is relative…it was a dish of meat and rice wrapped in a leaf and steamed, but the meat was lamb and the exterior was a grape leaf. It as phenomenal! This looks equally delicious!
Isn't it interesting how different cultures have similar food? Was the Iranian version smaller, coz grape leaves are quite small. And I can imagine the lamb flavour would be quite intense, maybe I should try make that
It was! They were about the size of a thumb, if memory serves me.
Yes, 100%, it is so interesting to see how cultures around the world, seemingly independent of one another, have managed to develop solutions that are so structurally and conceptually similar!