Vori vori

It's a thick tasty soup with little balls made of corn flour and cheese.

As every dish of the Paraguayan popular gastronomy, the vorí vorí is rich in proteins and calories, fact that has historical reason, proven fully and scientifically.

Origin of the name

The name "vorí vorí" comes from the Guarani language one of the two official languages of Paraguay. In Guarani the plural of any word it's made by repetition. So, "vorí" is one, but "vorí vorí" are two or more.

The word "vorí", that names the dish after being duplicated, it's a derivation of the Spanish word "bolita" ("little ball" in English, in allusion to the little corn balls that can be found in the dish), that word translated to the Guarani was "borita", and finally shortened to "vorí". Then, "vorí vorí" it's "bolita bolita".

Vori vori is traditionally served during the cold winter months, to keep those that eat it warm; although it is eaten occasionally during the summer.

Ingredients

To make a typical vorí vorí are needed: corn flour, fresh cheese, fat soup or broth and, of course, water.

There are other variants generally denominated "vorí vorí blanco" with additional ingredients such as: oil, garlic, onion, pumpkin, milk and rice.

Preparation

The corn flour and the crumbled cheese are put in a container, moistening this mixture with the fat broth until it is had a mixture from which the little balls are made.

Every vorí should have the size of a big grape. Once that there enough little balls were made, these are poured in a boiling soup and let boil about 5 minutes. If the soup were too thick, it can be thinned by adding more boiling water.

Interesting facts

*The traditional vorí vorí is also known as "vorí vorí caldo".
*One of the most widespread recipes is the "vorí vorí de gallina", in which pieces of chicken previously grilled on its own fat are added to the soup.
*When the little balls are too small they're called "tu'i rupi'a" (the Guarani phrase for "parakeet eggs").
*The vorí vorí is one of the few Paraguayan dishes that is eaten among every social layer. It's consumed also in fancy banquets as in the humble tables of rustic ranches.
*According to some scholars of social history of Paraguay, all the Paraguayan popular gastronomy, which establishes itself as a small family industry after the War of Paraguay against The Triple Alliance (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, between 1864 and 1870), is really abundant in caloric content, because of the situation that overcame to the country after the conflict. In the aftermath of the war, food was limited, groceries were hard to find. So Paraguayan cooking has a high protein content to make up for the scarcity of every day meal.

References

*“Tembi’u Paraguay” JOSEFINA VELILLA DE AQUINO
*“Karú rekó – Antropología culinaria paraguaya”, MARGARITA MIRÓ IBARS
* EVP - Wikipedia
* [http://www.evp.edu.py/index.php?title=Portada Enciclopedia Virtual Paraguaya - Portal]