Borş
 
     
     

 

en
          prep
 
   

"Borş" is the romanian name for an easily sour liquid that results from a fermentation proces, which is used to create the typical romanian soups named "ciorba". You will need only three things: corn semolina, wheat bran and a starting culture. If you will produce "bors" for the first time, you need at first a starting culture. In romania known as "maiaua or huste".

  

250 g

 
corn semolina
150 g
 
wheat bran
3 l
 
water
4 - 5 EL
 
starting culture
     
     
     
   
     

1.  Produce the starting culture:

Use a clean glass, add 250 g corn semolina and 150 g wheat bran, douse it slowly with boiling water (120-140 °F). Stir it to a creamly soft mash. Now you cover it with a cloth and let it stay at room temperature on a protected place for 1-2 days. The starting culture is finished, when it smells well and easily sourly. That is the starting culture for the first made "bors". On the next time you have to get only 4-5 tablespoon from the soil of the glass, and use it as well as starting culture (huste or maiaua); the remainder in former times was good for domestic animals.

With each further application the sediment continues to mature and the result becomes slowly better and better. This method to produce a starting culture is superior and also the prefered method by some market-womans in romanian market-places. There is still another second method: Thereby barm or brewer´s yeast is in use and it will be add as accelerator. Try it out and decide then.

2.  Now further to the production of bors:
Use a clean 5 l container from glass or ceramic. Put 250 g corn semolina, 150 g wheat bran and 4-5 tablespoon from the starter inside; after than fill slowly up with 3 l boiled water.
Importantly: Add the starting culture only after the water is somewhat cooled down (120-140 °F). Mix it well and let it stand by room temperature; agitate it gently once on day. In some regions its usualy to add also a slice of brown bread. After 1-2 days the bors is finished. Now you may fill it up into bottles and lair it in the refrigerator; it will hold itself in such a way up to 1 week. Bors - when it´s well done, taste easy sourly and smell pleasant, nearly as the mild juice of salt cucumbers.

"Borş" is a fermentation product of purely biological addeds. Therefore succeeds bors also only, if untreated addeds are available. The good-tasting liquid and its positive effect on the human organism are well-known for centuries. Those addeds are easy to optain. If the bors-liquid is nearly completely used, you may fill it up again with some boiled fresh water. This second charge of bors, becomes then milder. Don´t capitulate wehen something goes wrong, at the first time. "The whole is more, than the sum of its individual parts".


And now some remarks to bors in romanian language.
Borş de ciorbe? Reteta pebtru a realiza un borş, cu ajutorul caruia se poate gati o ciorba "ca pe vremuri" este foarte simpla. Ce nu inseamna ca acuma cunoastem secretele borsareselor vestite, care fac aproape zilnic cite un butoi de 200 de litri. Am intrebat, am cercetat, am ascultat si am vorbit cu borsarese la piata. Am primit reteta fara probleme: “Reteta este cunoscuta de toata lumea; dar niciodata doua femei nu pot face doua borsuri cu gusturi identice”... Cam asa suna resonanta borsareselor, dupa ce m-am departat de sectorul unde se vindea borsul, produs in butoaie vechi de stejar si oferite in sticle la litru… la piata 700 - din Timisoara...   

A short translation:
The recipe is known by everyone; but never succeeds two women - one behind the other, to create a bors with an identical taste. This are verdicts from "bors" selling market-womans. in the market-place from Timisoara-700, after I slow creep away…

 
   
 
 
   

The ingredients to create an veritable "Borş"

 
   
 
   
Huste
 
       
   
Bors / Borsch
 
   
Borsch
 
       
       
 
       
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