A Maramureș home-style soup of sauerkraut, smoked pork ribs and rice, finished with paprika roux, fermented skim milk and whole milk.
Zamă de curechiA Maramureș household soup of sauerkraut, smoked pork ribs and rice, finished with paprika roux and fermented skim milk.
Zamă de curechi is a Romanian cabbage soup whose name and formula vary from one region and household to another. This version follows an ethnographic household record from Maramureș: smoked pork ribs are simmered first, chopped sauerkraut and a handful of rice are cooked in the broth, then a paprika roux is loosened with “sămășă” and milk. The Romanian name is retained because it identifies a regional food tradition; “Maramureș sauerkraut soup with smoked ribs” is a concise English description.
The source gives the ingredients and sequence but no weights, yield or exact timing. The amounts here are therefore a transparent home-scale editorial estimate for six servings: 650 g smoked ribs, 700 g sauerkraut, 60 g rice, about 2 litres water, and a small roux made with oil, flour and paprika. The dairy amounts are also estimates. They make a gently thickened soup while keeping the cabbage and ribs prominent; they are not presented as measurements from the household source.
The same Maramureș museum collection records “sămășă” as fermented skim-milk liquid left after cream is collected. That ingredient is not identical to every commercial cultured dairy product. Cultured skim milk is a practical modern analogue; cultured buttermilk can be used if that is what is available. The recipe keeps the named ingredient visible rather than erasing its local context.
Taste the sauerkraut before adding it. If it is exceptionally salty, rinse it briefly and drain; otherwise, a rinse can remove some of its useful tang. Smoked ribs also vary in saltiness, so do not salt the broth at the beginning. Simmer the ribs in water until tender, then cook the cabbage and rice in the same liquid. Keeping this order allows the broth to carry the smoked-pork flavor into the soup.
The roux is the finishing step. Warm flour in oil, add paprika off the heat to avoid bitterness, then whisk in hot broth and the cultured skim milk and milk gradually. Tempering the dairy prevents a sudden temperature change, while a gentle final simmer helps the soup become lightly creamy. Avoid a hard boil once the dairy has been added.
The smoked ribs may be sold raw-smoked or fully cooked, so check the package. For raw pork ribs, use 63 °C / 145 °F as the minimum internal temperature followed by a three-minute rest; a long simmer until tender ordinarily takes the meat beyond that point. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, use within three to four days, and reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F.
A 1987 Bihor ethnographic record also uses the name “Zamă de curechi” for a different, meatless cabbage soup thickened with a flour roux. It confirms that the name does not point to one national formula. That Bihor version is not mixed into this Maramureș recipe: the smoked ribs, sauerkraut, rice and dairy finish here follow the separate household record from Maramureș.
Serve the soup as a filling first course, with a rib and a generous spoonful of cabbage and rice in each bowl. If the ribs are large, lift them out after simmering, separate the meat from the bones once cool enough to handle, and return the meat to the pot; this is a practical serving choice rather than a change to the source ingredients. A slice of bread may accompany the soup, but it is not part of the documented formula.
The finished broth should be lightly creamy rather than thick like a stew. If it sets too firmly as the rice cools, loosen it with hot water during reheating. If it tastes too sharp, add a little more milk; if it tastes flat, first check whether the smoked pork and cabbage already supply enough salt before adjusting seasoning. These small adjustments keep the source-defined balance of sour cabbage, smoked meat and a mild dairy finish.
Taste the sauerkraut. If it is sharply salty, rinse it briefly under cold water and drain; otherwise, simply drain it so the soup keeps its fermented tang. Cut it into short, spoonable strands. Cut the raw smoked ribs into serving pieces if needed, keeping their juices and any meat attached. Use a clean board and knife for ready-to-eat cabbage after handling raw pork.
Put the ribs in a large pot and add about 2 litres of cold water, enough to cover them. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then lower the heat to a steady gentle simmer. Cook until the meat is tender, about 60–75 minutes depending on the ribs. For raw smoked ribs, verify at least 63 °C / 145 °F in the thickest meat and allow a 3-minute rest; if the package identifies them as fully cooked, simmer until hot throughout. Keep the cooking liquid in the pot.
Stir the drained sauerkraut into the rib broth. Add the rinsed rice and return the pot to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20–25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft but still distinct. If the liquid has reduced more than you like, add hot water.
When the cabbage and rice are nearly tender, warm the oil in a small skillet over low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until smooth; cook gently for about 2 minutes without browning it deeply. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the paprika so it blooms without scorching.
Whisk a ladleful of hot soup liquid into the roux a little at a time to form a smooth slurry. Whisk in the cultured skim milk, then the whole milk. Return the skillet to low heat and warm gently, stirring, until smooth and steaming; do not boil it hard. This cultured milk approximates the source-described sămășă, a fermented skim-milk liquid left after cream is collected.
Pour the smooth roux mixture into the soup while stirring. Let the pot simmer very gently for 3–5 minutes so the broth thickens lightly; avoid a rolling boil after adding dairy. Taste before adding salt because the smoked ribs and fermented cabbage may be salty, then add black pepper if desired. Serve hot with cabbage, rice and a piece of rib in each bowl. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Smoked ribs and sauerkraut both contribute salt. Season only after the soup is assembled.
Whisk hot broth into the roux gradually, then add the cultured skim milk and milk before returning it to the soup.
A brief rinse helps very salty sauerkraut, but ordinary fermented cabbage can go in drained to preserve its tang.
Some smoked ribs are raw and others fully cooked. Follow the safe endpoint for raw pork; heat fully cooked ribs through.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Original ingredient | Practical substitute | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| A practical modern stand-in for the source-described fermented skim-milk liquid; the flavor may be sharper, so add it gradually. | ||
| A related smoked pork cut can provide a similar broth, but it may need a longer simmer; check the package and cook until tender and safe. |
Cool the soup promptly and reheat it gently to keep the dairy smooth.
Refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.
Warm gently, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout and at least 74 °C / 165 °F. Do not let the dairy soup boil hard.
It is a Romanian cabbage soup name used for several regional and household formulas. This Maramureș version follows a household record with sauerkraut, smoked pork ribs, rice, paprika roux and fermented skim milk.
The Maramureș source describes it as fermented skim-milk liquid left after cream is collected. Cultured skim milk is a practical modern analogue, though products can differ.
Taste it first. Briefly rinse and drain it only if it is unusually salty; otherwise, use it drained so the soup retains its fermented tang.
Yes. Cool it and refrigerate within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days, then reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F. Dairy soups can thicken in the refrigerator, so stir in a little water while reheating.
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