Turkish cooking is one of the most exciting descriptions of almost all exquisite cuisine in the world. You can never talk about Turkish cooking without paying a unique tribute to Sarma, dolma and the stuffed Turkish food. Generally, these are made by the loving caring hands of a lady sharing with the rest of the family.
Indeed, the skill of an individual cook varies from one person to another. In most cases, family members would compare themselves on their dolma and sarma making skills. For instance, Suleiman Demirel's wife was known for her unique talents in making dolma and Sarma by stuffing and wrapping.
Here are the best Turkish stuffed dishes, along with a clear description of how they are made and their origin.
Dolma is a Turkish stuffed dish well known in Mediterranean cuisine as well as its surrounding areas. Some of the vegetables used in the meal include; Pepper, onion, zucchini, garlic, and eggplant. Moreover, the use of vine leaves has grown popular, which is sometimes known as Sarma in the Middle East.
Origin
Dolma is of Turkish origin delivered from the word doimak. The phrase is of unknown origin, but the dish is typical in Turkic countries, Egypt, Balkans, and South Caucasus. However, it is believed that the phrase dolma comes from Ottoman palace cuisine.
The dish has been a part of Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. It is also a typical dish in Iraqi cuisine.
In the Muslim families, dolma is served during special events like Ramadhan, Eld al-Fitr, and the Norouz festival.
You will also come across this beautiful meal in India, where it's limited to the Bengali cuisine.
To begin with, let's have a look at dolma. Dolma preparation is not that hard. It involves several steps.
First, you should cut the top of each vegetable delicately. This action is followed by scooping out the center with a small teaspoon then salting the insides filling the hollow veggies with your meat.
For perfect results, you should remove the cap and steam the meal accordingly.
Dolma made using ground beef combined with summer squash is called Kabak dolmas. This type of meal is best when served hot.
Sarma is a Turkish word which means wrap. The dish is prepared using chard leaves, Vine, cabbages which are strategically combined with grains and minced meat.
In most Turkish provinces, Sarma is prepared using different ingredients. You can come across one version made from beans, which is referred to as Bakia sarma.
The use of vine leaves for wrapping is one way to keep all the ingredients together for a delicious taste. Some people opt to add dried fruits like fig to the rice before the celery root is stuffed, and delivered inside the oven.
The meal is then laid on the sauerkraut to complete its general view. It's delicious from its general perspective.
Sarma is believed to have originated from the Ottoman Empire from the Middle East.
You can choose to place the vine leaves in the freezer for a few days before making the rolls. This act will ensure you have a wonderful thawing experience when making your Sarma.
Place a large bowl on the table and combine, pork, ham, rice, egg and garlic powder to make one delicious mixture. Roll the dough into small oblong balls that will fit your desired taste. Using 1/2 cup of the mix at a time, wrap the vine leaf around each ball.
The final step is relatively easy. Spread the sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot and lay the wrapped balls on top ensuring that they are heated by seam evenly. To make the meal even tastier, spread some tomato juice while adding some water on the cover. The feed may take 3 hours to cook, but eventually, the taste is refreshing.
There are many vegetables you can use to wrap your Sarma. Depending on the time of the year, ensure that you make the best choice that suits your family.
If you are having trouble deciding what to stuff and wrap, you can venture to the local greengrocer to look for more fresh vegetables you can acquire.
Sarma is prepared in many ways and the ingredients mentioned above are only but a few ingredients you can come across in the market. Others include ground sumac, tomato, red pepper paste and paprika, which are used to complete the spicy taste in the meal.
The Turkish cuisine is the home of stuffed and wrapped vegetable dishes. There are many stuffed foods you can come across in the Middle East, all made from different ingredients and with a variety of skills. However, the most common are dolma and Sarma. Others include Turkish stuffed green pepper, Stuffed Eggplant Karniyarik, Stuffed grape leaves and many more.
Enjoy the finest of the Turkish cuisine, by preparing them right at the comfort of your home. The best part is that they are simple and straightforward to make. However, it takes skill to make it like a native.