Mici

Finely grate the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Dissolve the baking soda in cold water and leave it to stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beef-and-pork mince with the garlic, paprika, cumin, dried thyme, ground coriander, ground allspice, salt and black pepper.

Pour the soda water into the mince in small batches, thoroughly kneading it by hand for 15-20 minutes each time, until the mixture becomes smooth, sticky and slightly airy from trapped bubbles.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8-12 hours, ideally overnight — during this time the soda will soften the meat fibers and the spices will fully develop their flavor.

Take the mince out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking so it warms up slightly to room temperature, then knead it again for 2-3 minutes.

With damp hands, shape the mixture into skinless cylinders 6-8 cm long and 2.5-3 cm thick, weighing about 50-60 g each — this is the classic mici shape.

Preheat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Place the cylinders on it and grill for 8-10 minutes, turning two or three times, until nicely browned on the outside and fully cooked through inside.

Serve the mici hot, straight off the grill, with mustard — the classic pairing for this dish.