M’hasha (Sweet-and-Sour Stuffed Vegetables)

Ingredients

• 2 medium-size yellow onions (unpeeled)
• 2 medium-size red beets, peeled
• 3 medium zucchini
• 2 medium-size red bell peppers
• 18 drained jarred whole grape leaves (such as Krinos), divided
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (such as Carolina Gold), soaked overnight
• 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 medium stalks)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, roughly chopped or crushed
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 medium stalk)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate (such as Sambar Kitchen)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup

Steps

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Score each onion (with skins on), cutting lengthwise from the root toward the tip just to the center of the onion, leaving the top half of the onion intact. Add onions to boiling water, and cook, undisturbed, until softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard onion skins. Separate onions into layers, keeping each layer as whole as possible (about 10 layers total); set aside on a baking sheet. Discard root end and smallest layers of onions.
2. Cut off tops of beets, zucchini, and bell peppers. Set beet and bell pepper tops aside; discard zucchini tops and bell pepper seeds and pith. Cut each zucchini crosswise into 3-inch-long pieces.
3. Hollow centers of each beet and zucchini piece using a paring knife or melon baller. (Leave a 1/2-inch-thick wall and base on beets and a 1/2-inch-thick wall and 1 1/2-inch-thick base on zucchini.) Chop zucchini and beet flesh, and reserve for rice filling.
4. Drain rice, and rinse briefly under cold water; transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, celery, parsley, almonds, 1/4 cup water, dill, mint, olive oil, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir in reserved chopped beets and zucchini until mixture is well combined. Set aside.
5. Fill hollowed vegetables with rice filling (1 to 2 tablespoons for each zucchini piece, 1 tablespoon for each beet, and about 1/2 cup for each bell pepper). Cover beets and peppers with reserved tops. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon filling onto each reserved onion layer; roll tightly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon rice mixture in center of each of 10 grape leaves; fold over sides, and roll tightly. Set vegetables aside.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium. Add tomatoes, celery, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; lay remaining 8 grape leaves over sauce. Tightly pack stuffed vegetables into pot, placing over grape leaves.
7. Stir together 2 1/2 cups water, tomato sauce, tamarind concentrate, and ketchup in a medium bowl; pour over vegetables. Place a heatproof plate or a nonreactive pot lid (at least 2 inches smaller in diameter than the Dutch oven) directly onto surface of vegetables and sauce. Press plate to slightly submerge vegetables in sauce. Return Dutch oven to heat over medium, and cook, undisturbed, 40 minutes. Transfer Dutch oven to preheated oven, and cook until vegetables are tender, rice is cooked, and sauce is thickened and reduced, about 1 hour.
8. Transfer stuffed vegetables to a large platter. (Discard remaining solids in pot.) Serve vegetables warm or at room temperature.