Moldovan cabbage rolls - sarmale

Moldavian cabbage rolls –sarmale

No Moldovan feast is complete without such a dish as cabbage rolls. The popularity of this dish is explained by its taste qualities. Melting in the mouth, tender and fragrant.Moldovans prepare cabbage rolls small, I would say tiny with the size of one phalanx of a finger and call them "sarmelutsi". It is believed that if a woman knows how to twist small cabbage rolls, then she is a good hostess. By making cabbage rolls according to my recipe, you will get exactly the taste that is traditional for Moldovan cabbage rolls. First of all, it is necessary to prepare grape leaves. Wash them and steam them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes until they change color. The same must be done with rice. It is better to take round-grain rice so that it is boiled, and the cabbage rolls turn out tender. Pour a little vegetable oil into the frying pan and fry the onion, add the chopped onion or other meat to the onion. In a separate bowl, combine rice and meat with onions, add grated carrots and finely chopped leeks (Prague). Season the minced meat with salt and pepper to taste, add half the volume of tomato juice and season with chopped herbs. Wrap the minced meat in grape leaves . Minced meat is placed on the inner surface of the sheet, the wrong side. Put the sarmelutsi in a cauldron, at the bottom of which you need to pour vegetable oil. The oil will not let the cabbage rolls stick together and will give them shine. When the cauldron is full, pour boiling water over the cabbage rolls. Dilute the remaining tomato juice with hot water and pour it into the cauldron too. The water should cover the cabbage rolls about the thickness of a finger. When the cabbage rolls boil, lower the cauldron into the oven. Cover with a lid and leave to bake, languishing for 1.5 - 2 hours. Cabbage rolls are served hot, it is possible with sour cream.