Mititei

Mititei

Mititei on the grill.
Origin
Alternative name(s)	Mici
Place of origin
Region or state	Bucharest, Romania
Creator(s)	Ionescu Iordache
Details
Course	Main course
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredient(s)	Lamb Pork Beef Coriander Onion Garlic Black pepper Thyme Sodium bicarbonate
Other information	best served with Mustard

Mititei (Romanian pronunciation: [mitiˈtej]) or mici (pronounced [mit͡ʃʲ], both Romanian words meaning "small ones") is a traditional Romanian dish of grilled minced-meat rolls made from meat of beef, lamb and pork mixed, which contain garlic, black pepper, thyme, coriander, anise, savory and sometimes a touch of paprika. Sodium bicarbonate and sometimes broth or water, is also added to the mixture.

It is best served accompanied by mustard and beer. Ideally the mustard should not contain too much vinegar, because the sour taste does not fit with the mititei. The dish is very popular in Romania.

History

Nowadays, it is sold in restaurants close to traffic or as processed food in supermarkets.

Romanian version

The journalist Constantin Bacalbașa wrote in his book Dictatura gastronomică that mititei were invented one night at an inn called Iordache on Covaci's street in the old Bucharest, held by a Transylvanian named Ionescu Iordache, famous for its sausages. One evening while he was missing sausage casings, he laid the rolls of meat directly on the barbecue.

Bosnian version

Another source reports the Bosnian origin of the national dish mititei, with the Bosnian Cevapcici. Many Bosnian dishes are similar to those of Romania, such as some sausages. However, most recipes for the former Yugoslavia are reminiscent of Turkish cuisine. And it is not surprising, given that both countries were under Ottoman influence, the two national dishes, the mici and the adana kebab is like cevapcici.

Actually

Gratar

The Romanian barbecue or grătar is a social phenomenon where mici are intimately linked. Every Sunday, a large number of Romanian citizens transhume to a green area with a barbecue, few beers and a lot of mititei to do a gratar. Gratar's practicer are called grataristi.

Exemption from Mctaxe

In 2010, in order to cope with the economic crisis in Romania, the government of Traian Basescu, through the Health Minister Attila Cseke, benefit of public debate on junk food, obesity affects more than 20% the Romanian population,^[1] to impose a tax, known popularly Mctaxa (referring to McDonald's), less than 10% on fast food, as McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut and products too fat, too sweet and salty, like burgers, pizzas, sodas, and sweets etc.^[2]... But the health minister has exempted mititei and sarmale of this increase, although it is common knowledge that they are known as high-fat dishes and even if they are served snacks.^[3]

Notes and references

See also

• Adana kebab
• Ćevapi
• Chiftele
• Pârjoale

External links

• (Romanian) Wikibooks Cookbook – 1920 recipe for mititei
• (English) Mici recipe

This article is part of the series
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