Transylvanian Cabbage Rolls

The first time I tried making sarma, I almost lost my patience while rolling them up. I swear I had about six different shapes, and two of them completely fell apart in the pot. My mom told me not to stress out because that’s how you learn, but I did get a bit annoyed, I won't lie. Anyway, now I actually enjoy making them, especially when I feel like spending time in the kitchen playing with cabbage and meat, testing and arranging everything just the way I want. I love that smell in the house and the sound of the cabbage slightly cracking at the bottom of the pot. And yes, I know everyone has their own version, but mine turn out just right; I already know the whole process by heart and don’t even look at any recipes online anymore.

It takes a while, I admit, about two hours if you’re not in a rush, plus another hour or two to cook, depending on how patient you are to let them soften properly. From what I make, it easily feeds about eight people if they’re not too greedy, or five if everyone eats until they can't anymore. Let’s say it’s not complicated, but you need to take your time and not do a thousand things at once.

I often return to this recipe because nothing compares to homemade sarma, honestly. I make them for two simple reasons: first, I can adapt them exactly to my taste, without them being too fatty or too salty, and second, because if you start making them, you have food for at least two days. I don’t know who said that sarma is only for holidays, but they work for me anytime. Plus, they taste even better when reheated than fresh; I’m not joking. The only tricky part is peeling the cabbage, but once you get the hang of it, it goes quickly.

1. The first thing is to choose a good pickled cabbage, not too salty and not beaten up. If it’s too sour or too salty, I soak it in cold water for about fifteen minutes. This makes all the difference; otherwise, you’ll end up with something so salty you won’t know what you’re eating.

2. I set aside the whole leaves and chop the small ones finely to put at the bottom of the pot. As for the core... I cut it out with a knife; I don’t like struggling to roll with that hard part, you know how it is.

3. For the ground meat, I mix half pork and half beef. If I can’t find good beef, I just use pork, but leaner, so it’s not greasy. I add salt, pepper, a bit of dried thyme (not too much, as I don’t want it to overpower the flavor), and rice, about a fistful, but I wash it well beforehand to remove the starch; otherwise, it turns out sticky, and I don’t like that.

4. I also like to add some smoked meat between the layers. Usually, I use smoked bones or a bit of bacon, not too much, just enough to add flavor. I once tried it with kaiser, but it wasn’t anything special.

5. For rolling: I take a leaf, put a tablespoon of filling in the middle, fold the edges, and roll it tightly. The first time, they turned out big, like rolls, but now I make them the size of my palm—neither too small to dry out nor too big to look like meatballs. I don’t tie them or pierce them; I’m not in the mood for that much fuss.

6. At the bottom of the pot, I put chopped cabbage and a bit of smoked meat, then the first layer of sarma, then another layer of smoked meat, and so on until the pot is full. On top, I add more chopped cabbage and a bit more thyme; I love to feel that aroma.

7. Now, for the liquid. The juice from the pickled cabbage is the base, but I only add enough to cover half of the sarma, the rest is water. If you only use juice, you’ll end up with borscht, not sarma. I let it simmer on low heat; at first, I bring it to a boil and then reduce it to the lowest setting, with the lid on. If you want, you can put it in the oven instead of on the stove. An hour and a bit on low heat, checking from time to time so the liquid doesn’t evaporate too much.

8. I let them rest for at least half an hour after I turn off the heat, so the flavors meld. I like to take them out only after they’ve cooled a bit; otherwise, they crumble easily.

Tips: don’t overfill them, roll them tightly but not so much that they break. If the leaves are too thick, thin them out a bit with a knife. And especially, pack them tightly in the pot so they don’t have too much room to move while cooking.

- Can I use only pork?
Yes, but it should be leaner; otherwise, they’ll be too fatty and heavy. You can also combine it with beef or turkey, but don’t make everything with very lean meat, or the sarma will turn out dry.

- What if the cabbage is too salty?
Rinse it well in cold water two or three times. Taste it first to see if you need to add salt to the meat. You can even let it soak for a few hours if needed.

- Can I make them vegetarian?
Yes, use a filling of mushrooms, rice, grated carrots, and a bit of chopped walnuts. I don’t add eggs to bind them, just a splash of oil.

- What can I substitute for rice?
You can use millet, bulgur, or even cracked wheat, but don’t add too much, or everything will dry out and lose its charm.

- Can I freeze them?
Yes, after they’ve cooled completely, pack them in small portions and put them in the freezer. They can be reheated directly in steam or in the microwave, but the best way is in the oven, covered with a bit of juice.

Nutritional values for these sarma can vary greatly depending on the meat and how much fat or smoked meat you add. Generally, for a medium serving (about 4-5 sarma), you’re looking at around 400-500 kcal, with about 25-30g of protein, 25-30g of fat, and around 30g of carbohydrates (from rice and cabbage). If you make them leaner with turkey or lean beef, the fat content decreases. Pickled cabbage is good for probiotics and has some vitamin C (though not much after cooking), while rice adds some energy. Adding sour cream on top increases the fat content quite a bit, so if you want something lighter, use less or skip it altogether. It’s a filling dish, so you don’t need huge portions to feel satisfied. If you’re watching your figure, make them smaller and don’t add too much smoked meat.

When stored, sarma keeps very well in the fridge for about 4-5 days if you don’t touch them with a dirty spoon. I reheat them on the stove with a bit of water if the liquid has decreased, or in the oven if I have more. I don’t like using the microwave; it seems to change the taste. If you want to keep them longer, freeze them after they’ve cooled in small portions. Take them out a day in advance, let them thaw in the fridge, and then gently reheat them without using high power, or they’ll turn to mush.

Ingredients:

Pickled cabbage – adds flavor, acidity, and holds the filling together. It shouldn’t be too salty.

Ground meat (pork and/or beef) – the base of the filling, adds consistency and flavor. Pork makes everything juicier.

Rice – binds the filling and "puffs up" the mixture a bit, so it’s not too dense.

Salt – for flavor, but be careful not to add too much, as the cabbage can be salty.

Black pepper – classic seasoning, don’t overdo it.

Dried thyme – for aroma and a hint of herbal flavor, without overpowering everything.

Smoked meat (bones, bacon) – adds intense flavor and richness if you like it.

Sour cream – optional for serving, for those who want an extra creaminess and freshness.

How I proceed: In a bowl, I put the minced meat, over it salt, pepper, well-washed rice beforehand, I mixed all the ingredients well and set them aside. I opened the cabbage leaves, removed the hard part from the stem. In my region, in Transylvania, the stuffed cabbage is made as big as the cabbage leaf... if the leaf is big, they come out big, if it's small, they come out small, so I do the same. I finely chopped the part with very small leaves from the cabbage and put it at the bottom of the pot. To wrap the stuffed cabbages quickly and easily, I proceed as follows: I take a cabbage leaf, in the middle of it, I put the meat, then I fold over the meat the right side of the leaf, the left side, and then I roll it up and that's the stuffed cabbage done... this way the time for wrapping is reduced and the stuffed cabbages do not fall apart while boiling. I placed a layer of stuffed cabbages in the pot, a layer of smoked meat, and so on until the pot was full. On top, I put again chopped cabbage and a generous handful of thyme. I added about 2 cups of cabbage juice and the rest water to the pot and let it simmer until fully cooked. I always serve the stuffed cabbages with sour cream; if you don't like it, you can skip it. Enjoy your meal!

 Ingredients: I used: 3 pickled cabbages, 650-700 grams of minced meat (pork and beef), 1 teaspoon of black pepper, a cup of rice, coarse salt, dried thyme, smoked bones for flavor.

 Tags:  cabbage rolls rice easter recipes easter dishes easter dishes christmas recipes