Traditional Romanian ''MICI'', with chickpeas salad

In Romania, these are served with mustard and fresh baked rolls, but today I chose to garnish them with one very refreshing salad, perfect for a summer day. Every day in Romania millions of these patties are cooked and sold across the country, in all the bars and pubs. We grew up with those and we love them.

The recipe is very similar with ćevapčići - they are considered a national dish in Balkan countries , though under different names - or with kofta from Middle East . The Middle Eastern countries use cumin, curry powder, garlic and coriander to season the lamb or beef minced meats and the Balkans are using minced pork in the mix along with lamb and beef .


For 20 ''MICI'' you need (along with the salad, will feed about 6 pers. ):

- 1,5 kg mix of  lamb, pork and beef minced meat, about 500 gr each
- 4-5 cloves of minced garlic 
- 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon of allspice powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 250 ml cold water

Why soda? Because soda is keeping the water in the sausages and won't let them dry.

Mix the meat with garlic, thyme, allspice powder, soda, salt and pepper and then mix strongly. Add water slowly, mix and kick the mixture until you incorporate the all water and the miced meat is turned into a paste. Leave to rest for 10-15 min. With oiled hands form little sausages shape and grill them or fry them in a pan, like I did. Serve them hot with flat bread and salad or mustard or tzaziki.We served them with a very easy to make chickpeas and yogurt salad.

Ingredients for chickpeas salad:

- 2 cans of ready cooked chickpeas (400 gr each)
- 500 ml natural yogurt
- 1-2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- 1 teaspoon masala powder
- juice from 1/2 lemon 
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chili (if you wish)

Mix all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to let the flavors to came together.

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