Parboil the pre-soaked rice in salted water until just barely cooked (leave the center of the grains slightly firm).

Lightly sauté the fresh herbs in a pan and set aside.

Cook the ground meat mixed with grated onion together with lime juice, tomato paste, mixed spice, and saffron. Mix the fried onion with turmeric.

In a large bowl, combine the washed barberries with all the prepared ingredients along with salt and pepper.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cut off the base of the cabbage and separate it into leaves, then blanch in the boiling water for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness, then drain. Once the leaves and filling have cooled, roll the dolmeh.

Arrange the rolled dolmeh in a wide, shallow pot. Mix the tomato paste with meat stock, water, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and pour gently down the side of the pot. Drizzle a little oil on top, cover, and let the dolmeh cook gently over low heat. Once cooked, transfer to a serving dish and pour the sauce over.

For grape-leaf dolmeh, no sauce is needed — lightly grease the bottom of the pot before layering the dolmeh, tucking unripe plums between them. Mix lime juice, meat stock, water, salt, and pepper, and pour gently down the side of the pot, then cover and let cook gently.