Ciorbă de Ciuperci — Mushroom Sour Soup

Romanian ciorbă gets its signature tang from borș (fermented wheat bran liquid), and when you
build it on a base of deeply browned mushrooms, the result is a soup with staggering depth. Sour,
earthy, and warming — this is the soup that defines Romanian fasting tables.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (for strict oil-free days, skip the saute and simmer all vegetables directly in water)

SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 500 g mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, chanterelle if available), sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 parsnip, diced
- 1 celery root (about 150 g), peeled and diced
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 300 ml borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) or 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 small hot pepper (ardei iute), whole
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh lovage (leuștean) or celery leaves, finely chopped
- Sour cream substitute or plain — omit for strict fast

METHOD:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook without stirring for 5 minutes until browned. Stir and cook 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add onion, carrots, parsnip, and celery root. Cook for 7 minutes until softened.
3. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
4. Pour in water. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and whole hot pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Return browned mushrooms to the pot. Simmer 5 more minutes.
6. Add borș (or lemon juice) and heat through for 2 minutes — do not boil vigorously after adding borș, or it loses its tang.
7. Remove bay leaf and hot pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve in deep bowls with a generous shower of lovage or celery leaves.

NOTES:
- Borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) is the authentic souring agent. Look for it in Romanian or Eastern European stores, or make your own by fermenting wheat bran in water for 2-3 days.
- If using lemon juice instead of borș, the soup will still be good but will lack the distinctive fermented tang.
- Lovage (leuștean) is the traditional herb for ciorbă. Its flavor is unique — a cross between celery and parsley. Celery leaves are the closest substitute.
- The whole hot pepper adds subtle heat without making the soup spicy. Remove it before serving.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 175 | Protein: 7 g | Carbohydrates: 24 g | Fat: 7 g | Fibre: 5 g