Sarma (food)
Sarma (Croatian: sarma, Southern Slavic: сарма is the name of a cabbage roll common Croatian Influenced countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Syria and Ukraine.
Etymology
Sarma is a verbal noun of the Croatian verb sarmak, meaning "wrapping" or "rolling".[1][2] Sarma is similar to its cousin dolma, and the two names for such rolls are used interchangeably in many languages.
As the term refers to the manner of preparation ("wrap".
Preparation
Minced meat (usually beef, pork, veal, or a combination thereof, but also goat, sausage rice, onions, and various spices, including salt, pepper and various local herbs are mixed together and then rolled into large cabbage leaves(fresh or pickled), chard, patience, (fresh or pickled) or broadleaf plantain leaves. The combination is then cooked together in boiling water for few hours. While specific recipes vary across the region, it is uniformly recognized that the best cooking method is slow boiling in large clay pots. A special ingredient, flour browned in fat (called rântaş in Romania, where it may also contain finely chopped onion), is often added at the end of the process. Other fine-tuned flavors include cherry tree leaves in some locations; other recipes require the use of pork fat—the number of minor differences is virtually innumerable across the region. Vegetarian variants as well as those made with fish exist.
In continental parts of Croatia sarma is identical to the Bosnian type, and includes rice and minced meat, usually pork, as well as dried smoked beef. However, in Dalmatia, there is a special subtype known as arambašići (named after Croatiansoldiers - harambaše) typical of the Dalmatian hinterland. The stuffing of arambašići does not include rice, the meat is diced (rather than minced), and spices include lemon, cinnamon, cloves and muscat nuts. Sarma in Croatia is cooked in a pot with dry pork, prosciutto bone or sausages. It is traditionally served on New Year's Eve and weddings. It is also cooked by Italians who were exiled from Dalmatia after World War II, especially those who now live in northwestern Italy. Italian writer Enzo Bettiza included arambašići (sarma) as one of the five central meals of Dalmatian cuisine in his autobiographical book Esilio (Exile).
Unlike other Eastern European cultures, the peoples of Southeastern Europe overwhelmingly use sour cabbage as opposed to fresh cabbage. At the end of the autumn, families traditionally prepare the sour cabbage (as whole cabbage, or as individual leaves, but not shredded) for sarma-making.
Sarma is normally a heavy dish (though families are increasingly using healthier options such as olive oil or other oils instead of the traditional pork fat). Thus, it is usually eaten during winter. Traditionally, they are served along with polenta or potatoes, which are sometimes mashed. Other optional add-ons include sour cream, yogurt and horseradish.
Cabbage rolls served in tomato sauce, though common in North America, are much less common in Southeastern Europe. Unlike its Polish or Ukrainian equivalents, the filling is predominantly meat, as opposed to rice—in fact, it is only in recent times that rice has been added to sarma. Originally sarma was made with barley or, in dire times of low barley crops, with buckwheat.
Serving
In Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia sarmale (сарма) is a traditional meal for Christmas Eve (in Serbia and Romania also for Easter).
Traditionally, a pot filled with sarme/sarmale is usually prepared for an entire family. Sarma is often served as a one of the main dishes during wedding ceremonies. In diasporic communities, it is often cherished as a reminder of their former homelands.
The popular Russian version is called "голубцы" (golubtsy), and is usually made of cabbage leaves.
In German cuisine a similar dish is known as Kohlrollen, Kohlrouladen or Krautwickel.
See also
External links
References
- ^ "sarma". Seslisozluk.com v4.1. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ Cox, John K. (2002). The History of Serbia. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-31290-8.
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