Traditional Romanian Food

1. • A cabbage roll is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves
wrapped around a variety of fillings. It is common to the
cuisines of the Balkans, Central, Northern, Eastern Europe,
and Iran, as well as West Asia and Northern China.
• Meat fillings are traditional in Europe, often beef, lamb, or
pork seasoned with garlic, onion, and spices. Grains such as
rice and barley, eggs, mushrooms, and vegetables are often
included. Pickled cabbage leaves are often used for wrapping,
particularly in Southeastern Europe. In Asia, seafoods, tofu,
and shiitake mushroom may also be used. Chinese cabbage is
often used as a wrapping.
• Cabbage leaves are stuffed with the filling which are then
baked, simmered, or steamed in a covered pot and generally
eaten warm, often accompanied with a sauce. The sauce
varies widely by cuisine. Always in Sweden and sometimes in
Finland, stuffed cabbage is served with lingonberry jam,
which is both sweet and tart. In Eastern Europe, tomato-
based sauces or plain sour cream are typical. In Lebanon, it is
a popular plate, where the cabbage is stuffed with rice and
minced meat and only rolled to the size of cigar. It is usually
served with a side of yogurt and a type of lemon and olive oil
vinaigrette seasoned with garlic and dried mint.
• Popular among Europeans, and traditionally served among
the Jewish on Simchat Torah, stuffed cabbage is described by
Gil Marks to have entered Jewish cooking some 2,000 years
ago.Recipes vary depending on region; Romanians and
northern Poles prefer a savory sauce, while Galicia and
Ukraine favor sweet-and-sour, for example.
• Romania and Moldova
• Romanian sarmale cooked inside a pumpkin
• Sarmale are Romanian stuffed cabbage rolls traditionally
served on Christmas and New Year’s Eve but also served
throughout the year at weddings, baptism parties, and other
large celebrations. Ground pork is mixed with sauteed
caramelized onions and rice stuffed in a cabbage leaf, pickled
sauerkraut leaf or grape leaf. For flavor, they usually consist
of layers with smoked pork fat, smoked ribs, or smoked
sausage.
• The Romanian sarmale is a versatile dish, and the best way of
consuming is reheated the next day. The flavor is different
with an enhanced flavor. It can be prepared with a tomato
base, dill base or combination. Sweet shredded cabbage
layers in between the rolls of pickled cabbage leaves or
sauerkraut layers in between of sweet cabbage leaves. The
taste is significant different but still a great dish.
Toma Nicoleta, IMAPA, group 8114