Homemade Sarma for Batch Cooking
Tender fermented cabbage leaves wrapped around a savoury pork, beef and rice filling, then gently simmered in tomato sauce. Make a pot now and portion it for later.
By HomeChefs Kitchen Team · · No ratings yet
- Servings
- 8
- Preparation
- 40 min
- Cooking
- 150 min
Sarma worth making a big pot of
Sarma takes a little time to roll, but most of the cooking is a quiet simmer. This version wraps pork, beef and rice in fermented cabbage leaves, then nestles the rolls into a tomato sauce. The cabbage brings a pleasantly tangy flavour, so taste the finished sauce before deciding whether it needs anything else.
Look for a whole fermented cabbage head with leaves large enough to wrap. As you peel them away, trim the thickest part of each central rib so the leaves fold without tearing. If they taste very salty, give them a quick rinse and drain them well. Smaller or torn leaves still have a job: lay them under the rolls to help keep the bottom of the pot from catching.
For meal prep, promptly divide the cooked sarma and sauce into shallow containers. Refrigerate while still warm, within two hours (one hour in temperatures above 32°C); do not leave a large pot to cool completely at room temperature. Use within 3–4 days, or freeze for up to three months. Thaw frozen portions in the fridge, then reheat until steaming hot throughout. A spoonful of the sauce over each portion keeps the rolls moist as they reheat.
Ingredients
- 1 large head (about 1.8 kg)fermented cabbage
- 600 gpork mince
- 400 gbeef mince
- 150 guncooked white rice
- 1 medium (about 150 g)onion, finely chopped
- 3 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
- 10 gsweet paprika
- 2 gground black pepper
- 20 mlolive oil
- 400 gtomato passata
- 700 mlwater
- 2bay leaves
Method
Separate the fermented cabbage leaves, aiming for about 16 large ones. Trim down each thick central rib so the leaf bends easily. Rinse and drain the leaves if they taste very salty; reserve any small or torn leaves.
In a large bowl, mix the pork mince, beef mince, uncooked rice, onion, garlic, sweet paprika and black pepper until evenly combined.
Place a portion of filling near the base of each large cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up snugly, leaving a little room for the rice to expand.
Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy pot and line the bottom with the reserved small or torn cabbage leaves. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in snug layers.
Pour in the passata and water, then tuck in the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over low heat for about 2–2½ hours. Add a splash of water if the liquid reduces enough to leave the rolls exposed.
Check a roll from the centre of the pot: the cabbage and rice should be tender, and the meat filling should reach 71°C in its centre. Remove the bay leaves and serve the rolls with their sauce.
Food safety
- The pork and beef filling must reach 71°C in the centre of a roll before serving.
- For meal prep, divide into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly while still warm, within two hours (one hour above 32°C). Use within 3–4 days, or freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot throughout.
Rate this recipe
No ratings yetWritten with AI assistance.