Tripe soup
Description
Shkembe chorba — a traditional Bulgarian soup made from beef tripe — has many similar versions in Moldovan, Romanian, and even Russian cuisines. To prepare classic shkembe chorba, you'll need cleaned tripe, plain natural yogurt without additives (which can be substituted with kefir), as well as paprika and garlic for serving. Some recipes include potatoes and vegetables in shkembe chorba, but these are variations by Russian authors; such ingredients are not added in the classic recipe. Serve the soup hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, boil the tripe. Rinse it and soak in water for an hour beforehand. Cut into large pieces, place in a pot, and cook for 2 hours, adding water as needed (the tripe should remain covered with water). Salt 15 minutes before the end of cooking. Then remove from heat.
- 2
Step 2
Take out the boiled tripe and let it cool. Let the broth cool as well; fat will collect on the surface, which should be skimmed off.
- 3
Step 3
Cut the cooled tripe into small pieces and return it to the defatted broth.
- 4
Step 4
Mix flour, eggs, and yogurt separately in a bowl until smooth.
- 5
Step 5
Add a ladleful of cool broth to the mixture in a thin stream, stirring constantly. You can add another ladleful. The result should resemble a liquid pancake batter. Add this mixture to the broth with tripe, place over medium heat, and cook for several minutes. Do not let it boil (to prevent the egg from curdling).
- 6
Step 6
Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a skillet and add paprika, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- 7
Step 7
Then pour the mixture into the pot with the soup.
- 8
Step 8
Stir, simmer for another couple of minutes.
- 9
Step 9
That's it! The soup is ready. Before serving, crush a few garlic cloves with a garlic press, add vinegar, and mix into the soup. You can optionally season the dish with cayenne pepper.
- 10
Step 10
Before serving, you can sprinkle the ready dish shkembe chorba with finely chopped tripe.