'Deconstructed' Sarma

If you like Sarma, but don't want to spend long time rolling small parcels, here is idea for layered sarma. Use 20 large sauerkraut leaves and 2/3 of original recipe for Sarma. Place alternate layers of cabbage leaves and filling, pour with 2 cups water. Cover with al-foil and bake for 2 - 2,5 hours on 180*C. Finish dusting with paprika and slice as a cake.



Slagana Sarma

Ako volite sarmu, ali ne zelite mnogo vremena provesti zavijajuci male rolnice, evo ideje za slaganu sarmu. Upotrijebljeno je 20 listova kiselog kupusa i 2/3 punjenja (znaci oko 500 gr mesa) od ovog originalnog recepta Sarmu (Sarma) . Slazite listove i punjenje naizmjence u posudu pogodnu za peci. Zalijte sa 2 solje vode, prekrijte al-folijom i pecite 2 -2,5 sata na 180*C. Pospite paprikom u prahu i rezite kao picu / tortu.

Homemade Sauerkraut / Preserving Cruciferous

Any vegetable from cruciferous family (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower...) can be preserved in following way. You can even add some pieces of other vegetables (carrot, capsicum, onion, chillies...) to it, as long as cruciferous make more than 60% of total weight of vegetables.

Ingredients:
Vegetable
Water
salt, 40-60 g per L (2-3 tbs)
Glass containers, very clean
(large wooden or plastic containers for Sauerkraut)
Spices like coriander or cumin seeds, peppercorns (your choice)
a few wooden sticks
Method:
Wash vegetables and divide into small florets. Cabbage can be shredded or left whole - in that case hollow out the stem end of the cabbage.
Bring enough water to boil; add 40-60g salt per liter and mix until salt dissolved. Take off the heat.
Put vegetables into prepared containers, pressing slightly, add spices. Place wooden sticks on top of vegetables (cross them), securing well. Pour salty water over, making sure all vegetables and wooden sticks are underneath. (Sauerkraut should be emerged under salty water all the time; large river stone placed over clean wooden sticks will ensure this - see photo). Close lids, and place containers in a cool dark spot. In a few days liquid will become cloudy; that means that cruciferous are working (releasing lactic acid). It will also produce specific smell, that is not pleasant to many. That's why you should have all containers away from living room/ kitchen. Best place would be garage or laundry.
After 2 weeks your vegetable should be ready (Large cabbage heads need more time; 3-4 weeks), but you can keep them as long as winter last.

Kiseli Kupus / I ostalo povrce iz porodice kupusara

Potrebno:
voda
so, 40-60 gr po litri vode
tegle / galoni za sitnije povrce
(drveno ili plasticno bure za cijele glavice kupusa)
drveni prutici / dascice
zacini kao sto su biber, kim, korijander (sjeme) - vas izbor
Nacin:
Operite povrce i tegle. (Kupus ocistite od losih listova, izdubite mu korijen)
Prokljucajte vodu, dodajte so i promijesajte. Smaknite sa vatre.
Stavite isjeceno povrce u tegle (kupus u bure), pritiskajuci blago; ubacite odabrane zacine. Na povrsinu ukrstite par drvenih prutica (jace dascice za kupus, koje treba da su pritisnute opranim rijecnim kamenom). Nalijte slanu vodu, pazeci da povrce i prutici budu pod vodom. Zatvorite i ostavite na hladno i mracno mjesto.
Sitnije povce ce biti gotovo brze; kupusu treba 3-4 sedmice najmanje (u ovisnosti o temperaturi). Tecnost u teglama ce se zamagliti, a i osjeticete poznati miris.

Sarma - Sauerkraut Rolls

Sour Cabbage (Sauerkraut) is very popular food in many European countries. Preserving of whole heads (or shredded) cabbages is simple, doesn't use chemicals and is natural way to lock-in goodness of vegetables. (Watch next post for this process.)
Sarma (cabbage rolls) is made with leaves of Sauerkraut, and is most desirable winter food in Balkan countries.
Be very careful about salting your food that contains Sauerkraut; many ready bought cabbages contain a lot of salt, and need to be rinsed before using in a recipe.

Ingredients:
750 g mince (half beef, half pork gives best results)
2 tbs oil
2 med onions, chopped
2 tbs paprika, smoked preferably
1/2 tbs black pepper, grinded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs Vegeta
1 small bunch parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup short grain rice
1 head of sauerkraut ('sour' cabbage)
bits and pieces of smoked meat ( hooks / speck / meat),optional
for finishing- 2 tbs oil, 1,5-2 tbs flour, 1 tbs paprika
Salt if needed
Method:
Prepare cabbage leaves; pull each leaf apart, cut large leaves into 2. Make sure to cut and discard hard and thick central cores - see photo down.
Place all other ingredients (except 'for finishing')into a large bowl. Mix well. Take a handful of this mixture, place on a (halved) leave and roll. Push the other end of roll to secure filling - see pictures.
Place finished rolls into a large pot. If you don't have non-stick pot, placing some cabbage offcuts will prevent burning and sticking sarma to the bottom. In between rolls put some smoked products (optional), as this will give smoky flavor to Sarma.
When all finished, cover sarma with an upside -down plate (should fit into the pot) and fill with water (just above the plate). Cover with lid and bring slowly to boil. Simmer for 1,5-2 hours.
Sarma will rise; add more hot water if necessary. Check if salt needed.
Finishing- Heat oil in a small pot, add flour and cook until slightly golden. Take away from heat, put paprika and then pour some water from large pot with sarma. It's best to prepare 1 cup of cooking water before you start cooking flour, as you need to pour water into finishing sauce at once, and stir vigorously. Pour this sauce back into large pot with sarma and let it boil once more.
Sarma is best 2-3 days later after cooking.

Preparing large leaves


Rolling


Finishing other side


Placing SARMA into cooking dish


SARMA

Vjerujem da svi mi imamo neke svoje recepte za Sarmu, koje cemo da prenesemo na sljedecu generaciju. Ovako je ja pravim-

Potrebno:
750 gr mljevenog mesa (najbolje pola govedine, pola svinjetine)
2 srednja crvena luka, sjeckana
2 K ulja
2 K paprike, dimljene ako imate
1/2 K crnog bibera, mljevenog
2 cena bijelog luka, sitno sjeckanog
1 K Vegete, ili slicno
1 manja vezica persunovog lisca, sjeckana
1 solja rize sa kracim zrnom
1 glavica kiselog kupusa
malo dimljenih proizvoda (po zelji)
za 'zaprsku'-2 K ulja, 1,5-2 K brasna, 1 K paprike

Nacin:
Pripremite listove kupusa; Odrezite zile iz sredine, velike listove prepolovite.
Pazite da vam kupus nije preslan - isperite ako je tako.
Umijesajte sve sastojke (osim za zaprsku). Stavite saku mjesavine na svaki list i zarolajte; zatim gurnite visak lista sa druge strane (slike).
Stavite sarmu na red ruznih / neupotrebljivih listova kupusa. Izmedju redova sarme stavite malo dimljenih proizvoda; ovo ce dati specifican miris sarmi. Kada zavrsite sa filovanjem, pokrijte sarmu preokrenitim tanjirem, pa nalijte vodom (samo da ogrezne). Poklopite serpu / lonac. Stavite na ringlu i dovedite do kljucanja. Krckajte 1,5-2 sata. Dolijte jos vrele vode ako je neophodno.
Zaprska- zagrijte ulje, proprzite brasno. Smaknite sa ringle, dodajte papriku i zalijte sa vodom iz sarme; promijesajte dobro i vratite u serpu sa sarmom. Prokljucajte jos jednom.
Sarma je bolja drugi ili treci dan od kuhanja.