Romanian Cabbage Rolls (Sarmale)

Step 1

Add 3/4 cups (125 grams) of buckwheat to 1 cup (250 ml) of salted boiling water. Simmer until the buckwheat absorbs all the water. It usually takes 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a deep non-stick frying pan. I recommend a deep 28 cm pan. Bring a kettle of water to boil.Add one cup of brown rice to the pan and using a wooden spoon start mixing the rice to get coated in oil. Continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until you see the grains of rice becoming whiter and a little translucent. Add two cups of water over the rice. Add one cube of vegan vegetable stock and mix well. Cover and boil gently on low heat for 30 minutes.You do not need to mix the rice during the cooking process.

Step 3

In a deep frying pan, heat up a little olive oil. Add the chopped onion and fry for 3-5 minutes, mixing frequently until translucent. Add the thyme and paprika and fry for another minute. In a large bowl, mix the spiced onion, the rice and the buckwheat. Add the aquafaba. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together.

Step 4

Remove around 24 largest cabbage leaves from the fermented cabbage head. Finely chop the remaining of the cabbage and set aside in a bowl.Cut the 24 large leaves in half, horizontally. The half of the leaf with the hard stem, chop finely and add to the chopped cabbage bowl. On a different plate, lay flat the top of the leaf which is tender, and easily foldable. This will be used for stuffing.

Step 5

Fill each leaf with about a couple tbsp of the mixture and roll. Everyone has their own rolling technique so it's best to try a few things until you figure out what works for you. I put the mixture towards the bottom of the leaf then roll it once upwards. I then fold the sides to make it look like an open envelope. Then I continue rolling until it's fully folded.

Step 6

Repeat with all the remaining filling and cabbage leaves. You should get around 24 Romanian cabbage rolls.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 150C / 300F.In a large oven tray, add a little olive oil to the bottom. Add a layer of the finely chopped cabbage. Now arrange the cabbage rolls close to one another. Scatter the bay leaves and the peppercorn. Add another layer of the finely chopped cabbage. Mix the tomato paste with a little water and juice over the Romanian cabbage and the rolls and pour over the stepped oolong tea. Around 3/4 of the tray should be filled with liquid, so feel free to add a little more boiling water / tea if needed.

Step 8

Bake for 2 hours. Check every 20-25 minutes to ensure there is still enough water in the tray, so the Romanian cabbage rolls don't burn. I cook them uncovered because I want most of the liquid to reduce and I also like my sarmale to be a bit crispier on the outside. Just keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn. If needed, you can always cover the tray with some aluminium foil.

Step 9

Serve the sarmale on a plate with Romanian polenta and vegan sour cream. Decorate with chives and red peppercorn.

Step 10

You can store them, covered in the fridge. Heat up on the hob in a small pot and make sure to add a little water to the Romanian cabbage rolls to ensure they don't stick to the pot. This vegan version keeps in the fridge for about 4-5 days although they are best served fresh.