Rize Etli Kara Lahana Sarması

Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması is a stuffed cabbage dish unique to the city of Rize in Türkiye’s Black Sea Region and is protected under geographical indication status. This dish, registered as a geographical indication, consists of minced meat filling wrapped in black cabbage leaves and served hot as a main course.

Rize Etli Kara Lahana Sarması, (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)

Registration and Geographical Indication Information

Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması was registered on 11 June 2024 with registration number 1599 by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office as a geographical indication product. The application was submitted on 14 April 2022 under application number C2022/000127. The applicant for this product, registered under geographical indication status, is the Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The geographical boundary of the product is limited to the province of Rize.

According to the rules governing the use of the geographical indication, the designation “Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması” and the geographical indication emblem must appear on the product packaging. If not present on the packaging, these elements must be displayed in a clearly visible location within the production facility.

Distinctive Characteristics

Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması is prepared by wrapping the meat filling in black cabbage leaves and then cooking them in a sauce. The filling is made from rice, dried onion, tomato and pepper pastes, sunflower oil, parsley, salt, black pepper, and minced beef or lamb. The filling is wrapped in blanched black cabbage leaves (Brassica oleracea Acephala), then covered with a sauce made of olive oil, butter, salt, and tomato paste and cooked. The dish is served hot and is traditionally accompanied by yogurt.

The distinctive physical characteristics of the product are as follows:

• Length: 5–9 cm
• Diameter/Thickness: 1.5–3 cm
• Weight: 10–20 g
• Shape: Cylindrical

The black cabbage leaves used in production are sourced exclusively from Rize province. Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması is deeply embedded in the local culinary culture and is a product intrinsically linked to its geographical origin.

Production Method

Ingredients (for 3 servings)

• Black cabbage leaves: 30 pieces
• Filling:
• • 400 g minced beef or lamb
  • 270 g rice
  • 16 g tomato paste
  • 16 g pepper paste
  • 200 g dried onion
  • 40 g parsley
  • 92 ml sunflower oil
  • 8 g salt
  • 6 g black pepper

• Cooking ingredients:
• • 1 black cabbage leaf
  • 100 g meaty bone (optional)
  • 16 g tomato paste
  • 16 g salt
  • 14 g butter
  • 100 ml olive oil

• Serving:
• • 240 ml yogurt (optional)

Preparation Steps

1. Black cabbage preparation: The leaves are separated from their stems, washed, and blanched in boiling water for 4–6 minutes. They are then rinsed in cold water to prevent discoloration and drained. They can be stored at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator (4 °C) for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
2. Filling preparation: The rice is soaked and drained. The onions are finely chopped and the parsley is finely minced. All filling ingredients are mixed thoroughly in a large bowl.
3. Wrapping: The tough central vein of each blanched leaf is removed and the leaf is cut in half. The filling is placed on the leaf so that the vein side faces inward. The amount of filling used must not exceed the leaf’s capacity.
4. Arrangement and cooking: The cabbage stems are arranged at the bottom of the pot. Optionally, a meaty bone is placed on top. The stuffed leaves are tightly packed into the pot. Olive oil, butter, and salt are added, followed by enough water to cover the sarmas. A sauce made by dissolving 16 g tomato paste and 16 g salt in 200 ml water is poured over the top. A single cabbage leaf is placed on the very top, and the pot is covered. After boiling, the dish is simmered on low heat for 45–60 minutes. The cooked sarmas are left to rest for 45 minutes.
5. Serving: Served hot, preferably with yogurt.

Storage Conditions

Cooked Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması can be stored in a refrigerator at 4 °C for up to three days. For longer storage, the product can be kept in a freezer for up to two months. However, once thawed, the product must not be refrozen.

Production and Geographical Boundary

All stages of production for Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması must take place exclusively within the boundaries of Rize province. This requirement ensures compliance with geographical indication standards and maintains the product’s intrinsic link to its local origin. In particular, the black cabbage used must be sourced from Rize.

Monitoring

Compliance with the geographical indication requirements is monitored by a control body established under the coordination of the Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This body consists of at least one expert each from the Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University’s Ardeşen Faculty of Tourism, and the Rize Municipality. Monitoring inspections are conducted at least once per year; additional inspections may be carried out as needed or upon complaint.

Monitoring criteria include:

• Black cabbage sourced from Rize
• Appropriateness of ingredients
• Compliance with production method
• Adherence to product specifications
• Correct use of the geographical indication emblem and name

Monitoring results are reported annually to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.