Sauerkraut Sarma

Separate the leaves from 1 head of sauerkraut, rinse them in cold water if they're too salty, and trim away the thick parts of the ribs. Finely shred the remaining cabbage.

Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot. Heat oil in a wide skillet and sauté the onion and carrot for 5–7 minutes until soft. Add the ground meat and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until it's no longer pink.

Remove the skillet from the heat, add the rinsed rice, paprika, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. The filling should remain half-raw, as the rice will finish cooking during braising.

Place 1–2 tablespoons of filling on each leaf, fold in the edges, and roll into a tight cabbage roll. Don't overfill the leaves, as the rice will expand.

Line the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot with half of the shredded cabbage and some of the sliced smoked meat. Tightly pack the sarma rolls seam-side down, layering them with the remaining smoked meat.

Cover the sarma with the remaining shredded cabbage, pour in enough water to almost cover the rolls, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over the lowest heat for 2.5–3 hours without stirring, adding a little water if needed. The sarma is ready when the leaves are tender and the rice and meat are fully cooked.

Let the dish rest covered for 10 minutes, then serve hot with sour cream.