This recipe comes from Aladdin’s Castle Cafe in Portland, Oregon. No pomegranate molasses? Any chance there’s tamarind paste in your pantry? That would work as a fruity but tart substitute. If you don’t have either, just skip it. Although it’s worth finding a bottle of pomegranate molasses. It makes a wonderful glaze for grilled meats and seafood among many other uses.
Ingredients:
2 cups jasmine rice 1 cup finely chopped parsley 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons curry powder Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 large white onions 1 cup chicken stock 1 (14-oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, pureed 2 teaspoons ground sumac, plus more to garnish Greek-style yogurt, to serve
Preparation:
Make the stuffing: Combine rice, parsley, oil, cilantro, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, curry powder, salt and pepper, and 1 ½ cups water in a bowl; let sit until the rice begins to soak up some of the liquid, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim the tops and bottoms from onions and peel outer layer; place in a 6-qt. saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until onions are tender to the core, about 30 minutes; drain and let cool.
Cut each onion halfway around the side and peel off each whole layer to get about 4 to 5 large layers each. Stuff each layer with 2 tbsp. stuffing and roll up into a football-shaped roll; place rolls in a single layer in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Pour stock and tomatoes over rolls and sprinkle with sumac; season with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 375°. Bake until filling is cooked through and sauce is reduced around rolls, about 1 hour. Divide rolls among serving plates and sprinkle with more sumac; serve with the yogurt.