Dolma: Ottoman Stuffed Dish

Dolma is a family of stuffed dishes from Ottoman cuisine.

Dolma fillings often include rice, meat, herbs, and spices.

In Turkey, leaf-wrapped dolma is called sarma but also dolma.

Dolma spread widely across cuisines of post-Ottoman nations.

Azerbaijan’s dolma-making tradition joined UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list in 2017.

The Turkish word dolma means something stuffed or filled.

Dolma likely began in Ottoman palace kitchens during the 15th century.

Meatless dolma called yalancı dolma means fake or counterfeit dolma.

Istanbul had 50 dolma specialist shops by the 17th century.

Dolma became a status dish with specialized Ottoman cooks.

Stuffed zucchini was historically the most common dolma variety.

Dolma is a traditional dish in many cultures today.