Would You Try This Hangover Cure Made With Intestines?

If you’ve ever woken up on a Monday morning with a pounding headache and a sense of regret, chances are you’ve been the victim of a hangover. When your weekend excesses catch up with you and sleeping it off just isn’t an option, a good hangover recipe should be your next port of call. People have a variety of go-to solutions to fight off the hangover blues, from a stiff Bloody Mary to copious amounts of green tea. In Romania for example they swear by a very unique recipe to get them geared up for the day.

Ciorbă de burtă or Tripe Soup is the local secret to recovering from the effects of their famous fruit brandies and plum wines. The term ciorbă is used for a category of sour soups in Romania that are known for their health benefits from stimulating digestion to fighting off the flu. Using lemon or vinegar these soups develop a tangy edge and are bulked up with things like chicken and meatballs. But it’s a true ciorbă, it will always include tripe. 

Also Read: Pickle Juice, Your Arsenal Against Muscle Cramp, Hangover, And More

Tripe is the ingredient that comes from the stomach lining of a farm animal like a pig, sheep or cow, most often in Romania, beef tripe is preferred. The offal cut is high in protein and essential nutrients which is probably why it makes for such a great cure. 

The traditional ciorbă de burtă is simmered for at least three hours with beef bones and vegetables to create a rich, aromatic broth. The tripe is then set aside and cut into pieces while the broth is strained and clear. The tripe is then added back to the pot with sour cream, eggs, vinegar, garlic and carrots.

Many other countries like Mexico and Bulgaria have a similar belief in tripe’s ability to nix your hangover, but the Romanian version has its own special charm. If you’re feeling brave, maybe you can try it too!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef tripe
• 2,5 liter water
• 1 piece beef bone
• 2 carrots
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 celery root
• 1 large onion
• 450 ml sour cream
• 100 ml vinegar
• 3 eggs
• 1 parsnip
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

• Wash the tripe really well and put it in a big pot along with the water, bone, carrots, celery root, onion and parsnip (leave all the vegetables whole). 
• Let it boil for 2 to 3 hours.
• Take out the vegetables, bone and tripe, so you have a clear broth left. Cut the tripe into small pieces (1 by 2 cm) and put those back in the pot.
• Shred the carrots and put them in a small pan with the olive oil. Saute them for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Now take a small bowl to mix the sour cream and eggs well and add them to the soup. Now mince the cloves of garlic and add those too, along with the carrots and vinegar. 
• Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. 
• Garnish with parsley and serve with extra bowls of sour cream and vinegar.