dolma دولمة
Algerian Darja · noun
“dolma” (دولمة) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning vegetables stuffed with minced meat.
Meanings
- vegetables stuffed with minced meat
- meatballs in sauce
Usage
Dolma is a very common family dish in Algeria. Vegetables are stuffed with minced meat, then cooked in a sauce, white or red. The most common vegetables are potato, courgette, pepper and onion. The vegetable is often specified with bel: dolma bel batata, dolma bel qarnoun (artichoke). Depending on the family, the word also refers to meatballs cooked in the same sauce. The word is feminine: dolma bnina, "a good dolma". It is a frequent dish during Ramadan and at festive meals.
Example
اليوم طيبنا دولمة بالبطاطا
lyoum tayabna dolma bel batata
“Today we made dolma with potatoes.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dolma” but also “doulma”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.