Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Romania

Romania’s food is built around polenta, cabbage rolls and sour ciorbă soups, with plum brandy and fried-dough desserts. Look for Sarmale (sour cabbage rolls of pork and rice, with mămăligă, sour cream), Mămăligă (golden cornmeal porridge, bread’s everyday stand-in) and Mici (caseless grilled sausages of mixed meats, garlic; with mustard). Cabbage or vine leaves rolled around pork and rice and cooked for hours at Christmas and Easter, from the Ottoman dolma tradition. This atlas has 38 Romania dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

38 dishes.

AfinataAfinataDeep purple liqueur of wild blueberries steeped in spirit and sugar.BorsBorsSour liquid fermented from wheat bran, used to sharpen ciorbă soups.BragaBragaThick fermented millet drink, lightly sour, sold cold from tanks.Brânză de burdufBrânză de burdufsalty sheep cheese packed into a sheepskin or fir-bark tubeBulzBulzgrilled polenta balls stuffed with cheese, butterCârnați de PleșcoiCârnați de Pleșcoismoked mutton sausage with chilli and garlic from BuzăuCiorbă de burtăCiorbă de burtăsour tripe soup with garlic, vinegar, creamCiorbă de perișoareCiorbă de perișoaremeatball soup soured with fermented bran, finished with lovageCiorba radauteanaCiorba radauteanaCreamy sour chicken soup with garlic, soured with cream and vinegar.CornuleteCornuleteSmall pastry crescents rolled around jam or walnut, dusted with sugar.CovrigiCovrigiring pretzels with sesame or poppy from street kiosksCozonacCozonacbraided holiday sweet bread swirled with walnut-cocoaDrob de mielDrob de mielEaster lamb offal loaf with herbs and eggsGogosiGogosiPuffy fried dough rounds, sugared or filled with jam, sold hot.Grasă de CotnariGrasă de Cotnarigolden sweet wine from Moldavian Cotnari made from shrivelled grapesMămăligăMămăligăcornmeal porridge with sheep cheese, sour cream, pork cracklingsMiciMicicaseless grilled sausages of mixed meats, garlic; with mustardMuceniciMuceniciFigure-eight dough shapes in sweet walnut syrup or baked with honey.MurăturiMurăturiwatermelon, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers soured in barrelsPalincăPalincădouble-distilled plum or apricot brandy from Transylvania and MaramureșPapanașiPapanașifried curd-cheese doughnuts with sour cream, sour-cherry jamPascaPascaSweet Easter bread with a braided rim holding sweetened cheese and raisins.Pastramă de oaiePastramă de oaiesalted, spiced and smoked mutton, grilled and eaten with mămăligăPlăcintăPlăcintăfilled pastry with apple, sweet cheese or pumpkinSalată de boeufSalată de boeufdiced meat and vegetable mayonnaise salad for holidaysSalată de vineteSalată de vinetesmoky mashed aubergine salad with onionSarmaleSarmalelittle cabbage or vine-leaf rolls, festive table centerpieceSlăninăSlăninăsalted and smoked pork fat sliced raw with onion and breadSocatăSocatăfizzy elderflower drink fermented for a few days in summerTelemeaTelemeawhite brined cheese sliced onto bread with tomatoesTochiturăTochiturăpork stew with wine and garlic over mămăligă, fried eggȚuicăȚuicăplum brandy sipped before festive mealsTuica fiartaTuica fiartaPlum brandy boiled with honey, pepper and caramelised sugar, drunk hot.UrdaUrdaSoft whey cheese, mild and fresh, spread on bread or baked in pies.Varza murataVarza murataWhole cabbage soured in brine, its leaves rolled into sarmale.Vin fiertVin fiertRed wine mulled with honey, cloves and citrus, drunk in cold months.

  • Afinata

    Deep purple liqueur of wild blueberries steeped in spirit and sugar. 20 min to prepare. Makes about 1.5 litres. A…

  • Bors

    Sour liquid fermented from wheat bran, used to sharpen ciorbă soups. Ready in 20 min prep and 10 min cooking.…

  • Braga

    Thick fermented millet drink, lightly sour, sold cold from tanks. Ready in 20 min prep and 30 min cooking. 2…

  • Brânză de burduf

    Salty sheep cheese packed into a sheepskin or fir-bark tube. A cheese & dairy recipe from Romania.

  • Bulz

    Grilled polenta balls stuffed with cheese, butter. Ready in 20 min prep and 1 hr cooking. 6 balls. A main…

  • Cârnați de Pleșcoi

    Smoked mutton sausage with chilli and garlic from Buzău. A charcuterie & cured recipe from Romania.

  • Ciorba radauteana

    Creamy sour chicken soup with garlic, soured with cream and vinegar. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 1 hour cooking.…

  • Ciorbă de burtă

    Sour tripe soup with garlic, vinegar, cream. Ready in 30 min prep and 4 hr cooking. 6 servings. A soup…

  • Ciorbă de perișoare

    Meatball soup soured with fermented bran, finished with lovage. Ready in 30 min prep and 50 min cooking. 6 servings.…

  • Cornulete

    Small pastry crescents rolled around jam or walnut, dusted with sugar. Ready in 40 min prep and 20 min cooking.…