Romani Roots

The food of the Romani has always been desegnated by the fact we are a nomadic race - cooking on an open fire and using the local natural resources, such a fauna, flora and wildlife.The one pot method of soups/stews contains available vegatables/cereal and meat - but meat is also roasted separately on a spit .

Garlic is a favourite flavouring in our dishes and bread or cereal cakes are often eaten with the meal.

You may have been told that the Romani eat Hedgehogs  - and in the past that would have been true, but it is no longer the cultural dish it once was and is rarely seen on the plate these days.

On special occasions such as wedding, funerals etc, food and drink is an important part of the celebrations. Large amounts of food are prepared and cooked days before and events of this nature will last not only well into the night but in some cases days!

Certain foods are considered taboo - such as pets - like cats and dogs because of their cleaning habits. In some tribes horses are also taboo as food because of their importance to the survival of the Rromani race.

As regards those of our race that who hunt and forage for food -they can only kill enough to eat as to do otherwise is considered cruelty.

The foods that we have and now eat are sometimes original or more often a combination of our own dishes and the dishes we have infused into our culture during our travels across the world.

Below are dishes donated by our members - and although cooked and eaten by Romani may not be orignal Romani dishes!

If you wish to contribute or comment on any recipes please send them to us via the address on the Contact Us page.

©2007

 Ingredients:

Oil / lard

Sausages & bacon rashes (cut up)

Onions (chopped)

Garlic (chopped)

Tomatoes (sliced)

Potatoes (sliced)

stock / stock cubes 

Add oil / lard to the pot and melt and add sauages to brown.  Remove the sausages and chop, add back to the pot with the rashes to brown.  Then add the onions and garlic, once these are also brown add water and potatoes to the pot and cook until potatoes are almost soft. Then add the tomatoes and stock / stock cubes and cook ubti the tomatoes and potatoes are softened.  Serve with bread and butter - delicious!

Ingredients:

Flour

Salt

Water

Olive oil

Sieve the flour and salt, Add the water until you have a soft but pliable dough. Add a few drops of oil and kneed into a smooth dough,. Then seperate the dough  into small balls and roll or pat in to round flat shapes, You can fry both sides in a frying pan with a little oil until brown and bubbly OR they can be placed on the inner sides of an oiled cooking pot and turned when brown and bubbled.  Serve hot spread with butter OR use cold adding fillings of choice.

Gammon joint stock

peas (marrofat / processed can be used)

onions (finely chopped)

garlic (chopped)

pepper / thyme (or another herb to individual taste)

Boil a Gammon joint in 3/4 full pot and remove the Gammon once cooked, top up and always keep the level of water just above the joint.  Add a good amount of peas (or at least 4 tins peas), onions and garlic. Add pepper and herb and bring simmer the ingredients until the peas etc are soft and reduced to thick soup-like consistency. Serve with sliced Gammon and/or bread.

Ingredients:

Ground maize

Water.

Savoury method - Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add  the maize slowly, stirring continously to avoid lumps until it thickens to a "mashed potato" consistency. Stir continually until stiff but not soilid and has a cooked scent. Serve with cooked meats, tomato and onion gravy and vegables.

Sweet method - Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the maize until you have a "porridge" consistency and continue to stir until you have a cooked scent. Once served you can add sugar / honey for sweetness. You can also add milk to cool and lighten the taste.

Details of this book can be found on our "BOOKWORM" page.