Murături

Murături, pickled vegetables, are never absent from the larder of a Moldovan household, being the traditional method by which summer and autumn vegetables are kept for the cold months of the year. Through pickling — that is, preserving in brine or in vinegar — the vegetables take on a sharp, intense and appetising taste, becoming a refreshing accompaniment that suits heavy winter dishes rich in meat and fat perfectly.

How it is made

Murături are made from the most varied vegetables: cucumbers, bell peppers, other peppers, cabbage, green tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, kohlrabi and small watermelons. The most widespread method is pickling in brine, in which the vegetables are packed into barrels or large jars and covered with salted water. Spices and aromatic plants are added to the brine: dried dill, horseradish leaves, garlic, peppercorns, cherry or oak leaves, thyme and sometimes sprigs of celery. These give the pickles their characteristic aroma and firmness.

Natural fermentation, in which the sugar in the vegetables turns into lactic acid, is what produces the distinctive sour taste. The process takes a few weeks, during which the pickles are "tended", the brine being stirred from time to time so that it does not spoil. Whole cabbage pickled in a barrel is one of the most prized, its leaves being used for sarmale. There are also versions pickled in vinegar, quicker but more acidic.

When it is eaten and its cultural role

Murături are put up in autumn, when vegetables are plentiful and cheap, a genuine tradition of the provident household. They are served throughout the winter alongside roast meat, sausages, beans, mămăligă or fried potatoes, bringing a fresh, acidic note that balances substantial meals.

Beyond their culinary role, murături are an expression of a cook's industry and prudence. A larder full of jars of colourful pickles is a source of pride and a sign of good management, of a household ready to face the winter without worry. Pickle brine, drunk cold, is also valued as a remedy for a hangover, a well-known folk cure after abundant meals. Murături thus remain a symbol of the seasonal order and of the Moldovans' bond with the produce of their own garden.