Ciorbă de Burtă is unique due to its texture and sour-garlic flavour. The secret lies in long cooking of the tripe until tender and then 'tempering' the soup with a mixture of cream, egg yolks, and vinegar (a traditional dressing technique).
It is recommended to use pre-cooked and sliced tripe to significantly shorten the preparation time.
If using raw tripe, clean it thoroughly. Cook it with the bones and chopped vegetables in salted water for 3-5 hours until the tripe is completely tender. Skim the foam from the broth during cooking.
Once cooked, remove the bones and vegetables. Strain the broth. Cut the tripe into thin, short strips and return it to the clear broth.
In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and cream. Add the vinegar. Mix well.
Slowly pour 2-3 ladlefuls of hot broth into the cream mixture (tempering) to prevent the yolks from curdling. Stir continuously.
Pour the tempered dressing back into the pot with the tripe and broth, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture briefly, but do not boil to prevent the cream from curdling.
Add the crushed garlic. Taste and adjust vinegar and salt as needed. The soup should have a pleasant sour and garlicky flavour.
Ciorbă de Burtă is served very hot. It is traditionally served with an extra bowl of vinegar and crushed garlic (or chili preserved in vinegar) and with sour cream.