Sarma

Sarma, commonly marketed in the English-speaking world as stuffed grape leaves, stuffed vine leaves, or stuffed cabbage leaves, is a food in Southeastern European and Ottoman cuisine made of vegetable leaves rolled around a filling of grains, minced meat, or both.

Many believe that the first sarma was made 3,000 years ago in Armenia, in today's city of Armavir. It consisted of meat wrapped in vine leaves. It was first spread by travelers, and it experienced its maximum expansion with the arrival of the Ottomans on Armenian territory and the expansion of the empire. Because of this, some forms of sarma can be found today in the entire Middle East, through Pakistan to India, in all Mediterranean and Balkan countries and in the north of Africa to Algeria.

Sarma is a Turkish word meaning 'wrapped', and in Croatia it is typically rice with minced meat and bacon that is wrapped in sauerkraut leaves.

The preparation of sarma varies from country to country, but also from household to household - some toast the rice, some add sauted onions, and some don’t add tomato sauce, but for me, this is the best version, so let me know how you prepare it!

Combine minced meat, chopped bacon, raw rice, a tablespoon of parsley, minced garlic and 50 ml of tomato sauce, season with vegeta and pepper and set aside.

Remove the stem off the sauerkraut and drain it.

Depending on whether you like it more sour or not, you can just shortly rinse the sauerkraut if needed, but I don't do it myself.

Take one or two sauerkraut leaves and chop them, then place them over the bottom of the pot.

On each leaf put some minced meat stuffing, then roll it and tuck it in if you can. Depending on the size of the leaves, you might not be able to tuck it in to prevent it from unfolding, so just use a kitchen rope to tie them instead.

Once you have tied or tucked all of them, place them over the chopped sauerkraut.

Mix the rest of tomato sauce with water, season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Pour into the pot and add bay leaves.

Cook on low to medium heat for about an hour.

Serve alongside mashed potatoes for creaminess.

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Sarma

Yield: 6

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• Sauerkraut leaves - 800 g
• Mixed minced meat - 300 g
• Bacon - 50 g
• Parboiled rice - 125 g
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Parsley - 2 tablespoons
• Tomato sauce - 250 ml
• Water - 1 l
• Bay leaves - 3

Instructions

1. Combine minced meat, chopped bacon, raw rice, a tablespoon of parsley, minced garlic and 50 ml of tomato sauce, season with vegeta and pepper and set aside.
2. Remove the stem off the sauerkraut and drain it.
3. Depending on whether you like it more sour or not, you can just shortly rinse the sauerkraut if needed, but I don't do it myself.
4. Take one or two sauerkraut leaves and chop them, then place them over the bottom of the pot.
5. On each leaf put some minced meat stuffing, then roll it and tuck it in if you can. Depending on the size of the leaves, you might not be able to tuck it in to prevent it from unfolding, so just use a kitchen rope to tie them instead.
6. Once you have tied or tucked all of them, place them over the chopped sauerkraut.
7. Mix the rest of tomato sauce with water, season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Pour into the pot and add bay leaves.
8. Cook on low to medium heat for about an hour.