Sarma is a dish from Turkish cuisine made with cabbage or grape leaves wrapped around a filling of minced or diced meat, rice or barley, and spices. It is commonly served on holidays and special occasions and can be found in various parts of Central Europe. The leaves used and the filling ingredients can vary depending on preference and availability. The sarma is simmered in a liquid that often includes animal fat or pork for flavor and served with sides such as yogurt, sour cream, mashed potatoes, and polenta.
Sarma is a dish often found in Turkish cuisine and indigenous foods from regions that were historically part of the Ottoman Empire. It mainly consists of cabbage or grape leaves wrapped around a filling and simmered for hours before serving. This filling is typically made with minced or diced meat, often pork, beef, or veal, which is sometimes combined with rice or barley and other seasonings for flavor. The liquid they are poached in often includes animal fat or pork for a more intense flavor. Sarma is similar to dolma.
While sarma is important in Turkish cuisine, it can be found in various parts of Central Europe and in many different nations that have been influenced by Turkish cuisine. It is commonly served on holidays or special occasions, such as birthdays or family patron saints, and is often paired with Christmas or New Year’s dinners in countries such as Slovenia and Croatia. The name “sarma” comes from the Turkish word sarmak, which means “to wrap”. Due to the wide spread of this dish and the different ingredients that are popular or native to various regions, including dietary differences of various religious faiths, the spices and ingredients used to make this dish can vary quite a bit.
The type of leaves used to make sarma often depends on preference and what is available, although cabbage leaves, vine leaves and chard are all quite common. These leaves are usually boiled for about 10 minutes to soften them, with vinegar often added to the boiling water to give the leaves a sour or pickled taste. The stuffing used to make sarma usually starts with meat that is finely minced or diced and then mixed with diced onion, spices, and rice or barley. Beef, pork, and veal are all common enough to make the filling for this dish, although other meats such as goat, lamb, and poultry are also used in some areas.
Once the filling for the sarma is made, a small amount is placed on a leaf and the leaf is then wrapped around the filling and closed at the ends. These are typically made in large quantities and the filling often includes salt and pepper and different spices including cinnamon, parsley, dill and cloves. The sarma is then placed in a large vessel of slightly boiling water, typically mixed with dried pork or pork fat, to cook slowly for several hours, although in some regions they are cooked in tomato sauce instead. They’re then removed and served with a variety of sides, including yogurt, sour cream, mashed potatoes, and polenta.
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