Here is our recipe for the meat stuffed grape leaves: Please see my post below explaining the process of preparing the grape leaves and lining the pot for baking)
2.5 lb to 3 lb 90% lean ground beef
1 lb fresh tomatoes (about 2 medium or more to taste), diced small. Add to the meat.
2 medium onions diced, sauteed in oil until soft and translucent. Add a TBS of 7 spice mix towards the end of the cooking and let the spices bloom in oil until fragrant. Let cool a little before adding to the meat. (Can be prepared a day in advance.)
1.5 cups rice (we use a short grain rice that we get at the Japanese store but parboiled rice works great for this type of recipe.) Rinse the rice well and cook it half way in a little boiling water and some salt. It should still be much harder than al dente. Drain and let it cool. If you have the time, soak the rice for up to 4 hours to rehydrate it as much as possible. It helps preserve the resistant starch (ie soluble fiber) that is naturally present in rice. Can be prepared a day ahead. Mix with the onions and let them cool.
1 tsp salt or to taste. (we don't use much salt, you may like more. Also, remember that the grape leaves will be a little salty even after washing in boiling water.)
1/4 cup olive oil optional
1 lemon optional, to squeeze on the rolled leaves between the layers
1TBS 7 spice mix (a second one.)
2 Jars of salt pickled grape leaves
Mix all the ingredients well. You can cook a small patty in a skillet to taste for salt and spices and adjust if needed.
Roll in grape leaves like little cigars. You want the shiny side of the leaves on the outside. Make sure to cut the little stems that are left on the leaves and use them to line the pot. Line the stuffed grape leaves in rows and rotate the pot about 90 degrees so the rows crisscross. It helps keep the leaves tightly rolled. This mix fit in a 7 quart cast iron pot. You can easily make half. The cooked grape leaves last in the refrigerator for about a week or you can freeze some for later.
Put the pot in a cold oven and bake at 300oF for 1.5 to 2 hours. You can taste it along the way to decide when it is ready. Baking time depends on the quality of grape leaves. Older leaves need longer cooking. Allowing the meat to come to cooking temperature slowly will help prevent the rubbery texture that comes with high heat.
Note on the type of rice: I wouldn't use Basmati or Jasmine because the flavors will compete and the texture will be wrong. I also wouldn't use Arborio or other short grain Italian type rice because they are too starchy and wouldn't hold up well in this type of cooking.
My parents buy the spice mix at a small ethnic shop. Here is my best approximation for it. Please note that it doesn't have cumin, coriander, or ginger. I find that they compete with the delicate flavors of the grape leaves. You may like other mixes. This site has suggestions for similar spices from the region.
http://www.adventuressheart.com/2011/07/arabic-seven-spice-baharaat.html
Middle Eastern 7 Spice Mix:
1 TBS Black Pepper ground
1TBS Allspice ground
1 TBS Cinnamon (if you have both types of cinnamon, use in equal amount)
1 tsp clove
1 tsp galangal
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp star anise
This mix is mild. You may want to add some cayenne pepper to taste. The basic mix has black pepper, allspice and cinnamon. Everything else is optional.