Connecting with birth culture can look different for all adoptees. For some, cooking and eating traditional foods can be a healing and serve as a powerful way to reconnect. Through food, adoptees can explore their culture in a hands on way, learning, reflecting, and enjoying something meaningful and delicious. This week, join Sevdzhan as he cooks Lozova Sarmi, a traditional dish from Bulgaria.
The word āsarmaā comes from the Turkish word āsarmak,ā which means āto wrap.ā Across Eastern Europe, many dishes share this origin. Wrapped leaf dishes, or dolma, come in many forms, usually filled with meat, grains (rice), or both. Some versions are completely vegetarian, depending on the region.
In Bulgaria, there are two main types of stuffed leaves. Cabbage Sarma is common in the winter and uses cabbage leaves, while Grape Leaf Sarma is lighter and often eaten in the spring and summer. Thereās also Drob Sarma, a less common variation made with finely chopped liver, rice, herbs, and onions, topped with an egg and yogurt mixture and baked.
Here, Sevdzhan uses grape leaves and a vegetable filling. Find the recipe below! To follow along with a video, visit our Instagram or Facebook page.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- Grape leaves
- Onion
- Pine nuts
- Currants
- White rice
- Mint
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- All spice
- Black pepper
- Crushed tomatoes
- Water
- Parsley
- Lemons
Directions:
- Cut grape leaf stems off and soak leaves in water for at least 2-3 hours
- Saute 2 cups of onion in olive oil until soft
- Add 2 tbsp of pine nuts and 2 tbsp of currants in with the onions
- Add in 2 cups of rinsed rice (uncooked)
- Add spices
- 1 tbsp of mint
- 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of all spice
- 1/2 tsp of black pepper
- Add in crushed tomatoes to the filling mixture
- Add 1 1/2 cups of water and then simmer until the rice is cooked all the way through
- Once cooked, add in parsley to taste
- Roll your sarma!
- Place a couple tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center of the grape leaf
- Roll the leaf around the filling, making sure to fold in the sides to prevent leakage
- Layer a large pan with grape leaves, then your rolled filled leaves, then more grape leaves on top
- Squeeze some lemon juice on top and top with quartered lemon
- Add enough water to fully cover the grape leaves, cover with the lid, and simmer until the water evaporates
- Once they are cooked, serve, and enjoy!
Find a similar recipe here!
