Borș de perișoare, Romanian sour meatball soup

Ingredients

For the soup

• 2 medium carrots (200 g)
• 2 parsley roots (160 g)
• 1 small celeriac (200 g)
• 2 tomatoes (250 g)
• 5 green onions (100 g)
• 30 ml oil
• 3 l water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 l borș
• 15 g parsley
• 15 g dill

For the meatballs

• 250 g ground beef
• 125 g ground pork
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons rice
• 8 g white flour
• 100 g white flour for shaping
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 15 g parsley

Preparation

1. Peel, wash and finely chop the carrots, parsley roots and celeriac, about 15 minutes. Put them on to boil in 3 liters of water and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until softened. 2. Slice the green onions into rounds, setting the bulbs aside for the meatballs. Chop the washed, seeded tomatoes. Heat 30 ml of oil and cook the green onion tops for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes, until softened. 3. Rinse the rice and leave it to drain. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then mix it with the egg, rice, finely chopped green onion bulbs, 15 g chopped parsley, 8 g flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix until combined. 4. Turn off the heat under the vegetables while you shape the meatballs. Allow about 25 minutes for shaping. Make small balls, roll them in the flour for shaping and place them in the broth, which should no longer be boiling. 5. Turn the heat back on and bring the soup to a boil. Add the onion and tomatoes with the oil from the pan, then 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. 6. Pour in 750 ml borș, then add up to 250 ml more, depending on how sour it is. Once the soup comes to a boil, let it cook for 3 minutes. Add 15 g parsley and the chopped dill, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot and leave it for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.