Sarma

Description
10 servings of a popular Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian national dish which is famous troughout the Balkan area. The Dish is traditionally made with pork and sour-cabbage, albeit there're unorthodox methods to make it.

This version is the original recipe. The muslim population of the Bosnian country are not using the pork or bacon, therefore the same recipe can be used without those indigrients. Just add a bit more beef to it.

Serbian_Sarma.jpgdients

 * 4 large sour cabbage heads
 * boiling water, 2-3 cups (2dl)
 * 6 slices dry-smoked pork bacon; chopped to cubes (2cm)
 * 2 large onions; chopped
 * 2 eggs
 * 2 tsp salt or 2 tsp vegeta
 * ½ tsp pepper or more for the flavour
 * 2 tsp paprika
 * ¾ lb ground beef
 * ¾ lb ground pork
 * ⅔ cup rice
 * 3-4 bay laurel leafs

Directions

 * 1) Remove bruised leaves from sour cabbage and cut out center core.
 * 2) Prepare the leaves for the filling.
 * 3) Low heat / fry onnions and add salt/vegeta.
 * 4) When the onnion becomes yellow, take it away from the heat. Add meat, rice and paprika.
 * 5) Put salt/pepper depending upon your desire.
 * 6) Meat filling : Put two eggs and mix it up with a spoon untill it's mixed good.
 * 7) Grab the meat filling with a spoon and put it on the sour-cabbage leaf.
 * 8) The trick to make it good is to take a big leaf and cut the root of it. Then put meat filling in the middle.
 * 9) To close the leaf first take the left, right and bottom side of the leaf and gently start to roll it towards the top. It needs to be closed from all sides at the end. Try to practice untill perfection.
 * 10) Place the stuffed cabbage rolls into the pot (or whatever that you're using) and throw in some of that dry smoked bacon. Then put more rolls on top and then again bacon.
 * 11) Cover the entire pot with the rest of cabbage leaves and add water almost to the top (usually 3-4 cups)
 * 12) Put bay laurel leaves on top for the spice effect.
 * 13) Place the pot on the fire and cook around 3-4 hours.
 * 14) This is highly optional, but it's how most of great cooks such as grandmas, mothers prepare it - Put it in the over for the next 12 hours on a very low heat. Make sure that it does have water inside. The top leaves will go almost black, but sarma rolls will be protected because of them. They key to a great sarma is to eat it even after 2-3 days since it can last long in the fridge. The more you heat it up, better it is. It's also said that only mothers know how to make it properly since the meal is highly traditional. It's also "Winter meal" since sour cabbage is usually part of traditional Tursija (brine) that's typical to the cuisine of Balkan area.