Introduction:
Mujdei is a very popular Romanian topping: I've seen it used in soups, appetizers, and in many entrees (it goes great with potatoes and most meats and vegetables). Mujdei is garlic-heavy and is usually served uncooked, so it's not necessarily suited for the faint of heart. You can also cook it to reduce the garlic flavor as much as you want.
Mujdei:
This is the "I'm Assaulted by Vampires and I Need the Potion NOW!" recipe. You basically mash garlic, and mix it with a bit of salt and water. Shy Romanian girls tend to use the garlic-infused water more - it has some flavor and it does not burn the mouth as much.
Colorful Mujdei:
This is the beautified version of mujdei, where chopped tomatoes and parsley or dill add extra flavor and color while diffusing the strength of the garlic. If the preparation is not obvious by now, you mash the garlic, mix it with chopped tomatoes, chopped parsley or dill, water, and a bit of salt. Don't exaggerate with the tomatoes or parsley/dill, particularly if you have a Romanian guy coming by.
Mujdei a la Greek:
This is another variation of mujdei - the main intention is to use yogurt instead of water to further reduce the strength of the garlic. I use this in shaormas (recipe coming soon).
Lemony Mujdei:
Fish goes really well with lemon juice. For Romanians, everything goes really well with garlic. So, someone really smart came up with the idea to use lemon juice instead of water when making mujdei. And it is the perfect complement to fish (or, if I may, fish is the perfect complement for this excellent concoction).
0 comments: