• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Meat

    Gypsy Stew Recipe - Sah Hai Mas

    Published by: Adina October 2, 2017 · Last modified: January 13, 2024 12 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    romani recipe for cabbage and pork stew

    Filling Gypsy stew with pork, cabbage, and rice – this is one of the best-known Gypsy recipes – Sah Hai Mas.

    gypsy stew with pork chops, ribs, rice and cabbage

    A super hearty Gypsy stew recipe like you've never had before. Different cuts of pork, cabbage, and rice are all mixed in one pot.

    Autumn also brings back the appetite for hearty, loaded stews, with or without meat, it doesn't really matter, the main thing is the plate is full of hot, flavorful food, that warms you from the inside out, things like this delicious and Romanian Stewed Cabbage, this Red Wine Beef Stew or this Butternut Squash and Sausage Stew. And many, many more; I have a large stew collection on my blog, just have a look and get inspired.

    Jump to recipe
    • About the Gypsy stew
    • More Gypsy recipes
    • Recipe
    • Gypsy Stew Recipe - Sah Hai Mas

    Autumn also brings a new series on Where Is My Spoon, a larger series featuring recipes originating from the main minorities living in Romania: the Gypsies or Romani, the Hungarians, and the Germans.

    I will start with the Rroma/ Romani population as they are the largest group living in Romania, officially only about 600.000, but unofficially over 2.000.000. They live not only in Romania but in many other countries in this area, like Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Greece, and so on.

    gypsy stew with pork chops, ribs, rice and cabbage

    But it is not their history that moves me the most; it is their fate, the amount of suffering, discrimination, blunt racism, cruelty, and the complete lack of any chance of integration or normal life they had to put up with over this long period of time.

    They have been chased and killed for ransom all over Europe, sold as slaves in the Romanian territories until the middle of the 19th century, gassed in the Nazi concentration camps, blamed for anything that went wrong in any place they just happened to be, rejected and pushed to the edge of the society and then blamed for not wanting to integrate, for often making a living with cheating or stealing.

    About the Gypsy stew

    It is a very hearty dish with a very long tradition in the Gypsy community. It is said that it used to be cooked also during the times when the Gypsies still lived in tents and led a very nomadic life. As they were not always able to cook when on the road, they used to cook this very filling and nutritious dish during the periods when they were able to cook. It was their way of taking in enough nutrients and calories to last for longer periods of time.

    I`ve tried to lighten up the dish a little bit by using way less oil than I imagine it is usually used for this dish, smoked pork ribs, and lean smoked pork chops instead of smoked pork knuckles and what I assume to be smoked pork neck steaks. We all loved the dish and I definitely can imagine making and eating it again one of these cold and dark autumn/winter evenings.

    I hope you will like it and decide to give it a try. And stay tuned for more absolutely delicious Gypsy recipes during the next two weeks, they were all amazing, I am drooling only remembering them. 🙂

    gypsy stew with pork chops, ribs, rice and cabbage

    More Gypsy recipes

    • Gypsy Potatoes with Bacon
    • Gypsy Chicken
    • Pork Chops in Milk Marinade
    • Pork Chop Burgers

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    romani recipe for cabbage and pork stew

    Gypsy Stew Recipe - Sah Hai Mas

    Filling Gypsy stew with pork, cabbage, and rice – this is one of the best-known Gypsy recipes – Sah (Shah) Hai Mas.
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Meat Recipes
    Cuisine: Gypsy
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 -6
    Calories: 582kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 450 g/ 1 lbs white cabbage
    • 1 large onion
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
    • 200 g/ 7 oz/ 1 cup long-grain rice
    • 350 g/ 12.3 oz smoked pork short ribs
    • 200 g/ 7 oz canned tomatoes or very ripe fresh tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 600 ml/ 21 fl.oz/ 2 ½ cups chicken stock meat stock or vegetable broth
    • 4-5 bay leaves
    • 3 teaspoons dried savory or thyme
    • 4 slices lean smoked pork chops
    • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • some parsley

    Instructions

    • Shred the cabbage very finely. Chop the onion finely.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot and cook the onion until translucent. Add the washed rice and stir for 1 or 2 minutes until the rice is shiny and coated with oil.
    • Add the cabbage and stir well. Add a small splash of water, about 50 ml/ 1.7 fl. oz/ a bit less than ¼ cup, cover well, and let cook for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage starts to soften slightly.
    • Divide the pork ribs into single ribs. Add them to the pot together with the stock. Add 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt and some pepper, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, bay leaves, and dried herbs.
    • Stir well, cover, turn the heat down, and let simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Check from time to time and add a bit more stock if the dish threatens to become too dry. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
    • In the meantime, heat another tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the pork chops for a couple of minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Place the chops on top of the rice and cabbage dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot with pickles.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 688mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Hearty & Comforting Meat Recipes

    • bun stuffed with brat, sauerkraut and mustard.
      Air Fryer Frozen Brats
    • greek lamb stifado in a bowl with a spoon in it, a small bowl of salt beside it.
      Lamb Stifado
    • thick butterbean and chorizo stew topped with fresh thyme in a bowl.
      Butterbean and Chorizo Stew
    • kielbasa and sauerkraut potatoes in a large pot.
      Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Potatoes

    Sharing is caring!

    436 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      September 16, 2023 at 4:58 am

      The name of this recipe is very insensitive, the term being used is in reference to Romani people in a negative and harmful way. I'm sure you meant no harm towards romani people but the term is outdated and plain hurtful.

      Reply
    2. mike says

      June 08, 2019 at 1:18 pm

      i got a recipe from some wonderful gypsy people it is quite simple and delish , head cabbage,large can tomato juice, two tabelspoons pickling spice, ham chopped, or polish sausage or smoked sausage to your own tastr and last but not least cayenne pepper, also to taste. i like a lot of spice , so mine is usually to hot for most . place in slow cooker, and simmer untill all meat is cooked thru ,and cabbage is tender . best when refridgerated over nite, MIKE O.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        June 09, 2019 at 10:10 am

        Hi Mike, the recipe sounds a little like the Polish bigos, love that.

        Reply
    3. Kim says

      October 23, 2017 at 5:09 pm

      I, too, have seen how the Gypsies are treated in the United States, especially in upstate NY. Your story was very sad. What a shame. How fortunate that I have almost all of the ingredients for this recipe and a leftover pork roast. It looks like a perfect Fall dish. Thank you for the history of this mouthwatering dish.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        October 24, 2017 at 9:54 am

        Thank you, Kim.

        Reply
    4. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      October 03, 2017 at 8:06 pm

      This looks really hearty and super comforting! Just perfect for the cooler weather we are starting to get! Cheers!

      Reply
    5. Monica says

      October 03, 2017 at 11:11 am

      This is the type of comforting meal we are craving right now! And my son loves pork/pork chops, etc. I cook it quite often these days. Love learning about this stew and reading/learning about your story. Racism/prejudice is a terrible thing.

      Reply
    6. Chris Scheuer says

      October 03, 2017 at 12:01 am

      How interesting. I know nothing about Gypsies but enjoyed reading your history and was saddened by your story. It does look like a delicious dinner for a cool evening!

      Reply
    7. Sissi says

      October 02, 2017 at 10:10 pm

      It looks and sounds really good, comforting and absolutely delicious.

      Reply
    8. Agness of Run Agness Run says

      October 02, 2017 at 2:17 pm

      Wow! I would have never combined all of these ingredients but this recipe seems so mouth-watering. A definitely intriguing dish!

      Reply
    9. KR says

      October 02, 2017 at 1:56 pm

      Rice and cabbage together, in the same dish!? Something new for me 🙂 Thank you for inpiration. Because. When to think.. this is not bad idea at all 🙂

      Reply
      • Machka says

        December 05, 2019 at 10:26 am

        Try some sarma / sarmale / gołabki 🙂

        Reply
    4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me →

    Potluck Recipes

    • bowl with potato salad with dill pickles sprinkled with chives.
      Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
    • napa cabage ramen salad in a gray bowl with sunflower seeds around it.
      Napa Cabbage Ramen Salad
    • feta and spinach triangles close up on a plate.
      Feta and Spinach Triangles
    • cherry loaf cake sliced on a vintage cloth with a knife and fresh fruit around it.
      Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.