Name: Sarma
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole soured cabbage head (kiseli kupus), about 1.5 kg, or 20 large leaves; 500 g sauerkraut, rinsed if very sour; 500 g minced beef; 500 g minced pork; 100 g long-grain rice, rinsed; 2 onions, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 egg; 3 tbsp oil or lard; 2 tsp sweet paprika, plus 1 tsp for the roux; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 400 g smoked pork ribs or dry smoked bacon, in chunks; 1 bay leaf; 2 tbsp flour; 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

Sarma — Photo: Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 3 hr
Total: 4 hr
Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 whole soured cabbage head (kiseli kupus), about 1.5 kg, or 20 large leaves
500 g sauerkraut, rinsed if very sour
500 g minced beef
500 g minced pork
100 g long-grain rice, rinsed
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
3 tbsp oil or lard
2 tsp sweet paprika, plus 1 tsp for the roux
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
400 g smoked pork ribs or dry smoked bacon, in chunks
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

Method

Cut out the core of the cabbage and separate the leaves, trimming the thick central rib of each so it lies flat. Chop the small inner leaves and mix them with the sauerkraut.
Soften the onions in 2 tbsp of the oil for 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and 2 tsp paprika for 30 seconds, then cool slightly.
Mix the onions with both minced meats, rice, egg, salt and pepper until combined. Do not knead.
Put about 2 tbsp of filling on each leaf near the stem end. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly like a small cigar.
Cover the base of a large heavy pot with half of the sauerkraut mixture and a few smoked rib pieces. Layer the sarma on top, seam side down, tightly packed, alternating with more sauerkraut and smoked meat. Add the bay leaf.
Pour in enough water to just cover the top layer. Place a plate on top to keep the rolls from unrolling. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 2½ hours.
Make a roux. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil, stir in the flour for 1 minute, take off the heat, add 1 tsp paprika and the tomato paste, and stir in a ladle of cooking liquid. Pour into the pot and shake the pot gently — do not stir.
Simmer 20–30 minutes more, uncovered, until the liquid is thick and the rice and cabbage are very tender. Rest at least 20 minutes before serving.

Sarma is a winter and holiday dish, cooked in a big batch because it is better reheated the next day, and the day after that. Keep the simmer at a bare shiver — a hard boil bursts the rolls. If the sauerkraut is very sharp, rinse it once; if it is mild, leave it as is and add a splash of its brine at the end. Serve with mashed potatoes and fresh bread.

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