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I come from a family of 14 uncles and at the least 98 cousins — most likely extra, however I ended counting. When we lived in Syria, the family would typically collect collectively to make meals, notably right now of 12 months. We’d peel beans and wilt spinach and put them in the freezer. We’d can 80kg of tomatoes in a day. We’d pickle cucumbers. If we didn’t, you wouldn’t have any of this stuff come winter.

I lately watched the 2002 movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and I realised that everybody is supposed to be laughing at this massive bizarre family that does all the pieces collectively. But for me, it’s the different means round. The American groom, who doesn’t have any of this, is the bizarre one. Now, my family is unfold out in numerous nations, and I really feel sorry for my three daughters as a result of they’ll’t expertise these instances we had, making meals all collectively. This is one in every of Bashar al-Assad’s crimes, he has pressured Syrians to dwell aside.

When I got here to the UK as a refugee, I travelled by means of 10 nations and ended up spending a very long time in Calais. I cooked there, on the steps of a church, and everybody would come and ask what they may do to assist. We had to work with what we had, scrubbing potatoes as a substitute of peeling them, utilizing soy sauce slightly than tamarind. It made me realise that I can create my very own recipes.

I dwell in London now with my spouse and youngsters, and I don’t need my daughters to miss out on the small family actions in the means they’re lacking out on the massive ones. Wrapping vine leaves collectively is a nice exercise as a result of it might take me ages to do it on my own, and I’d get very bored and have a sore again. But for 4 individuals, it’s a enjoyable half-hour sitting collectively and utilizing our palms.

Stuffed vine leaves with lamb neck

You can purchase jars of vine leaves in the grocery store. Drain the liquid, and take away the stems. Fresh vine leaves are higher. Simply trim the stem and dip them in boiling water with a teaspoon of salt. This makes them a little softer and simpler to roll.

For the stuffed vine leaves

1. Wash the rice till the water runs clear, then add to a bowl with the oil and blend totally. Add the cumin, black pepper, baharat, lamb and salt, and blend with your palms. (Wear gloves to cease your palms going yellow.)

2. Lay out one ready vine leaf, and spoon one tablespoon of the rice and lamb combination into the center. Fold the left, proper and backside sides inwards like an envelope, then roll away from you to make a neat little tube. Repeat with the remainder of the leaves and filling.

For the sauce

1. Add the lemon juice and water to a bowl, then add the garlic, black pepper, baharat, salt and tomato purée, and blend collectively till mixed.

For the lamb dish

1. In a 30-35cm-wide, heavy-based pot or flameproof casserole, layer the potato slices to cowl the base. Now add the lamb neck in a layer, inserting the slices so that they match tightly collectively. Next add the stuffed vine leaves on high, laying them tightly round the fringe of the dish in concentric rings and stacking on high of one another. For the last two layers, depart a hole in the center.

2. Place the garlic bulbs into this hole, alongside with the artichokes if utilizing, then place a weight on high of all the pieces. I’ve a conventional weight that’s meant for this dish, however should you don’t, stack three to 5 plates on high.

3. Pour over the sauce as soon as the plate is in place to simply cowl the cooking meals (should you attempt to do that earlier than the plates are in place, issues would possibly float to the floor). You won’t want all of it, so put aside the relaxation for topping up later. Tightly cowl the pot with foil or a lid, and place over a excessive warmth. Boil for 10 minutes, then flip the warmth down to low and simmer for between an hour and 75 minutes. Check sometimes to see whether it is dry, and add extra liquid as obligatory. The vine leaves are cooked when they’re not chewy.

4. Remove the lid, put a little stress on the weight or plates, tilt and punctiliously drain as a lot of the liquid as you may into a bowl. Most of it ought to have been absorbed. Remove the weight and garlic (and artichokes if utilizing), then place a serving platter or tray on high of the pot. Very shortly and punctiliously flip the pot over so it’s the wrong way up on the platter.

5. Gently carry the pot to reveal the layers of potato, meat and vine leaves.

6. Place the garlic and artichokes again on high of the potatoes, and serve with the liquid you drained off earlier (use it to dip the vine leaves in) and yoghurt.

Recipe tailored from “Imad’s Syrian Kitchen”, out now from HarperCollins

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