İşkembe

İşkembe çorbası, patsas (πατσάς), is a tripe soup prepared in Turkey , Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and the Balkans. It is often seasoned with vinegar or lemon juice.

Serbian and Bulgarian versions of this soup are called Shkembe chorba and the Macedonian one is called Chkembe chorba. In Serbia, this soup is made of fresh tripe cooked with onions, garlic and ground red paprika. It is usually seasoned with fried bacon and more garlic, sometimes thickened with flour (запршка).

The Greek version is - somewhat incorrectly - called "patsás" (πατσάς), from the Turkish word "paça" 'cuff' or 'foot'. (Though "skempés" {σκεμπές}, from Turkish "işkembe"; 'tripe' is also used.) The Greek version sometimes uses calf feet; it may be seasoned with red wine vinegar and garlic (skordostoubi), or thickened with avgolemono.

The Romanian name is "ciorbă de burtă", having as a variant "ciorbă de ciocănele" (soup from pig legs), similar in preparation and serving.

Another different type of tripe soup common in Czech Republic is drstkova polevka ("dršťková polévka"). It is also well known as a hangover remedy.

Name

"İşkembe" means 'belly' or 'tripe' in Turkish; and "çorba" means "soup". Both words are originally of Persian origin.