Romanian Garlic Sauce - Mujdei
It seems easy to make garlic sauce, but there are many tricks here - it's enough to mix it in a slightly different way and it can be a very good thing. I didn't necessarily mean to show you how I make mujdei, but I harvested plenty of beautiful garlic from my parents. For every meal, I make this delicious sauce, it's much praised and licked to the last drop. My parents make it simple with crushed garlic, water and salt - it's more like some garlic flavoured water. I like to make it thicker and it has been very successful with everyone who's tasted it.
You can adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding a little water, yogurt, sour cream, greens, to taste - and you already have many variations of this wonderful sauce. It's perfect next to some boiled potatoes with skins, next to some fish, baked peppers or anything you like.
Of course, start by peeling and washing the garlic cloves.
Make sure to choose good garlic, not chemically treated.
I prefer to crush the garlic with the press. It's fast and I don't really like to do it otherwise - too much effort with the same result.
Place the crushed garlic in a small deep bowl, add salt and 1-2 tablespoons of oil.
And mix well until the garlic and oil bind together like mayonnaise.
I recommend using a wooden spoon first of all, because it's comfortable and then, for the feeling that your grandmother is making the mujdei :)
Keep stirring in the rest of the oil to make a kind of garlic sauce like mayonnaise.
Pour in the vinegar. I prefer the white balsamic one, but the classic one or the lemon juice also work.
Mix well.
The sauce is now pretty thick. I recommend diluting it a bit until the desired consistency, but don't make it watery.
Here some yogurt would be perfect to make the mujdei more refreshing and tastier, but in the country we use water and it's still very good.
This is what it should look like. You can add some greens if you prefer, or chopped tomatoes - use your imagination.
I like to combine it with boiled or roasted potatoes with skins - but you know there are many other combinations with mujdei ...
Enjoy!
