TEHRAN – Dolmeh, a tiny Iranian dish that is fully wrapped up by grape leaves, has been registered in the national list of intangible cultural heritage.

Though the dish is highly popular in the provinces of East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and Hamedan, its registration enjoys a national scale and it cannot be confined to a particular place, ILNA quoted a senior cultural heritage official as saying on Saturday.

Dolmeh is a traditional Iranian dish that goes back to the 17th century. Making dolmeh or dolma is common in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Azerbaijan. Even though all these countries have dolmeh in common, each has its own recipe and ingredients.

Dolmeh comes from the word dolma which comes from the Turkish word Dolmak meaning "to fill". The word dolmeh refers to any vegetable that is stuffed. When referring to stuffed grape leaves, the full name of this dish is “dolmeh barg-e mo” which literally means stuffed grape leaves.

No Persian meal is complete without an abundance of herbs. Every table is usually set with sabzi-khordan, a basket of fresh herbs, radishes, and scallions, which are eaten raw and by the handful. Persian cuisine is, above all, about balance — of tastes and flavors, textures and temperatures.

In 2020, Iran joined an online campaign launched by the UNWTO to promote gastronomy as an essential part of tourism. Iranian cuisine, usually dominated by fragrant herbs, varies from region to region. It principally accentuates freshness, deliciousness, and colorfulness.

Experts believe that food tourism has become one of the most dynamic and creative segments of tourism and, at the same time, has naturally positioned itself as an element of diversification of tourism with a high impact on the promotion of sustainable development at the regional and local levels.

AFM