Authentic Sarma Recipe Turkiye, Asia

First, chop the onions. Then, heat a bit of oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions. Chop the garlic and add it to the pan. Fry briefly.

Dice the pancetta. Then, mix the meat, rice, diced pancetta, paprika, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Now, add the onion and the garlic, then combine thoroughly.

After removing the core of the sour cabbage, gently take out the leaves, one by one, making sure not to break them. Preserve the bigger leaves and finely chop the remaining ones.

Spoon a generous amount of the filling onto a cabbage leaf, then fold in the sides and roll the leaf up. Repeat the process until you use up the leaves and the filling.

Cover the bottom of a big pot with half of the chopped cabbage and the pancetta, then arrange the rolls on top. Top with the remaining chopped cabbage and the pancetta and season with ½ a teaspoon of paprika. Add enough water so that the rolls are completely immersed in it.

Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the flame and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Shake the pot lightly to prevent sticking, but do not stir (so you don't accidentally break the rolls).

Brown the flour in an equal amount of oil to make the roux, and when the mixture becomes golden, add a spoonful of paprika and 125-200 ml (1/2 - 3/4 cup) of water. Simmer, continuously mixing, until the blend thickens.

Pour the roux over the cabbage and cook for approximately 10 more minutes. Serve with mashed potato.