Traditional Ciorbă de Perișoare: Romanian Sour Soup with Pork Meatballs

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Soften half the onion with the carrot, pepper and parsley root in the sunflower oil. Add the stock and simmer 15 minutes to establish the vegetable broth.

Ingredients quick view

1 lb ground pork

1/4 cup short-grain rice, rinsed

1 small onion, very finely chopped, divided

1 medium carrot, diced

1 small red pepper, diced

1 parsley root or small parsnip, diced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 egg

salt to taste

pepper to taste

8 cups light pork or vegetable stock

1 cup fermented wheat-bran borș, boiled separately, or lemon juice to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh lovage

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Tips quick view

Sauté the carrot, pepper and parsley root only for the soup base; never add those diced vegetables to the meatball mixture.

Make sure to rinse the rice well to remove excess starch, as this will help prevent the meatballs from becoming too sticky.

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