A Foodie's Guide to Living in Romania
If you enjoy trying new foods all the time, you're in for a treat! Romania's food scene is rich and varied, having influences from neighbouring countries, but also its own distinct flavours. In this blog post we'll dig into some of the must-try foods that will make your gastronomic experience in Romania one to remember.
Here is a list of 10 dishes that you should definitely try while doing your mobility in Romania.
APETIZERS
Zacusca
This is a dish that every Romanian student will have sent from home to eat, as it is cheap and easy to store. It's made by baking peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms into a very tasty paste that's served as an appetizer on toast.
Salata de vinete (Eggplant Salad)
You might know the eggplant salad as baba ganoush from the Middle East, but the Romanian people prepare it in a more basic and unique method. The roasted eggplant is diced and mixed with onion, and then you can either add or not mayonnaise. Similar to zacusca, it is served on bread.
Boeuf Salad
Although it originated in France, the boeuf salad has become a staple in the Romanian cuisine, to the point that a traditional meal is not complete without it. Often served during holidays like Easter or Christmas, it is made of boiled chicken or beef, mixed with potatoes, carrots, peppers, spices and pickled cucumbers. After that you need to blend with mayonnaise and mustard according to your taste.
MAIN DISHES
Polenta
Polenta is the most famous dish in Romania, and it's a staple in many homes. It is made from boiled cornmeal, and it is typically served with cabbage rolls, cheese, and sour cream. You can cook polenta by boiling it with water and salt until it turns thick and creamy.
Sarmale
One of the most popular ways to enjoy polenta is with "sarmale," which is cabbage rolls stuffed with meat. Sarmale is typically made with minced pork or beef mixed with rice, onion, and spices, wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves, and simmered in a tomato sauce for many hours.
If you are looking for a vegetarian version, sarmale can also be cooked with rice only. Another method is to cook them wrapped in vine leaves (they are called dolmades in Greece).
Mici
Mici, which are also known as mititei, are a very popular meal in Romania, made out of meat as well. They are often served at festivals or barbecues, especially during summer. Basically, a mic (which in Romanian means little) is a sausage-shaped meatball cooked with minced beef and seasoned with garlic, salt, and other spices. Mici are generally eaten with mustard, bread and pickles.
Pomana Porcului
What I'm about to tell you will shock you, but please bear with me. If you're a vegetarian, go on to reading about desserts!
Around Christmas, Romanians will sacrifice a pig for dinner, which entails an elaborate ceremony. Pomana porcului translates as "honoring the pig," thus it's essentially a dinner to thank the friends and family who helped in butchering and preparing the meat. Then, all parts of the pig are prepared and served for the feast. And when I say all, I mean all of them. The Romanians' favorite pig part is "sorici," which is basically the pig's skin peeled off and roasted in the fire.
DESSERTS
Papanasi
Papanasi are fried doughnuts eaten with sour cream and fruit jam. They are made out of cottage cheese, eggs, flour, and sugar before being fried until they turn golden brown. They're usually served warm, with sour cream and fruit jam on top.
Cozonac
Cozonac is a sweet bread eaten by Romanians on Christmas, Easter, and New Year's Eve. It is usually created out of flour, yeast, sugar, eggs, butter, and milk, and you can also add cacao, Turkish delight, raisins, or nuts. This dough is left to rise for about an hour before being baked in an oven till a delicious sweet bread is formed.
Romania's best foods by region
Romania's regional cuisine varies depending on where you are in the country.
If you're in Transylvania, try "tochitura," a dish prepared with pig, smoked sausages, and bacon stewed in a tomato sauce. This rich recipe is ideal for the cooler months as it is very filling. Smoked meats are also prevalent in Romanian cuisine, and can be found in dishes such as "carnati," a type of sausage, and "slanina," a form of cured pork fat.
If you're in the north of the country, try "ciorba de burta," (translated as stomach soup) a tripe, vegetable, and sour cream soup. This may seem strange, but it's a popular dish in Romania. And trust me, it is delicious! We usually serve it with sour cream and spicy peppers.
Dishes like "gulas," a Hungarian-style stew cooked with meat, onions, and paprika, and "langos," a deep-fried flatbread generally eaten with cheese, sour cream, and garlic, may be found in the west.
If you want to find out more interesting aspects about living in Romania, as in when do Romanian people serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can discover the “5 Things You Should Know Before Starting your Journey in Romania” here.
No matter where you will find yourself in Romania, don’t hesitate to try the food, everything is indeed a culinary journey!
And now, I am curious! How’s the food in your country? What should we definitely try if traveling there? Let us know by joining the discussion here!