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Gagauzia · Main dish
Gagauz Kaurma
Local name: Kaurma
A Gagauz braised meat dish slowly cooked with onions and peppers in its own fat until tender.
- Servings4
- Prep20 min
- Cooking2 h
- Total time2 h 20 min
- DifficultyEasy
About this dish
Kaurma is a Gagauz dish of meat braised slowly with onions and peppers over low heat. In Gagauzia, in southeastern Europe, it is cooked for everyday meals as well as for guests and festive tables.
The Gagauz way uses pork or lamb and few spices; the flavor comes from the meat's own fat, plenty of onion and sweet pepper. It is usually served with bread, mamaliga or rice.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Meat
Vegetables and flavor
Method
Cut the meat into 3-4 cm cubes, pat dry and rub with salt and black pepper.
Heat the fat in a wide heavy pot and brown the meat in two batches until golden on all sides.
Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly colored.
Add the carrot and tomato paste and stir until the paste smells rich.
Add the hot water, bay leaves, a little salt and pepper; cover and simmer on very low heat until the meat starts to soften.
Add the peppers, cover and continue cooking.
Add the garlic, uncover and cook until the sauce thickens; adjust the salt.
Remove from the heat and let it rest covered.
Finely chop the parsley.
Remove the bay leaves, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
💡 Tips
- Brown the meat in two batches; crowding the pot steams it instead of browning.
- Keep the heat very low; slow cooking makes the meat tender.
- Choose a fatty cut like pork shoulder; lean cuts turn dry.
- Kaurma tastes even better the next day.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Lard — Use sunflower oil or butter in the same amount.
- Pork shoulder — Use lamb shoulder or beef shank; add 30 minutes of cooking time for beef.
- Red bell peppers — Use any sweet peppers or jarred roasted peppers.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
