Kurkuda soup is a traditional Bulgarian winter soup that is emblematic of the Central Balkan region and the foothills of the Balkans, especially Gabrovo, Sevlievo, and Lovech, and is particularly characteristic of the Devetashko Plateau. The name of the soup comes from kurkuda, which is the local name for cabbage brine (cabbage soup) in this region.
As it is an old and regional recipe, there are different variations depending on the locality and family traditions. For example, in the village of Gorsko Slivovo, where we have stayed several times, sour cabbage is added to the kurkudena soup. In other recipes, only cabbage juice is added, without sour cabbage, and rice or bulgur is added to thicken the soup. I have even come across recipes with vermicelli and even potatoes.
Personally, I find the more original recipes to be the two variants – with onions and sauerkraut or with leeks and bulgur (rice).
The recipe I will give you below is with onions and sauerkraut. Here is the recipe for delicious kurkudena soup:
- 500 g pork shoulder (I used neck from a domestic pig)
- 1 large onion
- 1 small carrot (there are no carrots in the original recipes)
- 700 ml pork bone broth (most recipes add water)
- 1 liter of cabbage brine
- ¼ sour cabbage
- Fat – one teaspoon of lard
- Spices – black pepper, bay leaf, a little oregano
Method of preparation:
I put a little lard in a saucepan to heat up and added the pork shoulder to fry. Shortly after, I added the chopped onion (I grated it, but you can also use a chopper; I also finely grated the carrot). I let them simmer well. When they are simmered, add the finely chopped sauerkraut.
Next, add water and the cabbage soup. I had a jar of pork broth left over from cooking pacha, so I used that instead of water. If you are using bay leaves, add them at this point.
How you distribute the water/broth and how much cabbage brine you add depends on how salty the cabbage and brine are and how thick you want the soup to be. Be careful not to overdo it. Add a little at a time and taste until you reach the desired thickness and saltiness.
Let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes so that the cabbage is not crunchy. The remaining spices, such as black pepper, oregano, cumin, or whatever you like, are added at the end when you turn off the heat.
The result is a very tasty soup! Bon appetit!
Add new comment