PARAGUAY: (Naturally GF) Chicken and Dumpling Soup (Vori Vori de Pollo)

Taste Atlas has deemed this the most delicious soup in the world. I might not go that far, simply because there are so many different ones out there, but I loved the taste profile of this broth, the ease with which the soup came together, and that the dumplings are naturally gluten free!

PARAGUAY: (Naturally GF) Chicken and Dumpling Soup (Vori Vori de Pollo)

2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

1 small chicken, cut into pieces, or 1½ lbs boneless chicken thigh cut into large ,bite-size pieces

1 large onion

4 scallions

1 large carrot

½ lb pumpkin flesh (sugar pumpkins works well) or butternut squash flesh

1 red bell pepper

2 medium tomatoes, such as Roma

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 large pinch saffron threads (optional)

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

2 cups corn flour (extra fine cornmeal)

5 oz. queso paraguayo (Paraguayan cheese), queso fresco, or low-moisture mozzarella

1 egg

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat until all the pieces of chicken until they are golden brown. They will cook later in the soup, so they do not need to be cooked through.

2. While the chicken is browning, chop the onion into small dice. Slice the scallion. Peel the carrot and cut the pumpkin or butternut squash and carrot into bite-size pieces.

3. Remove the chicken and set aside. In the same oil, sauté the onion, scallions, carrot, and pumpkin or squash. Sauté, stirring often and adding water if the vegetables start to stick, until onion starts to brown.

4. While vegetables are cooking, remove the core and seeds from the pepper and tomatoes, and cut into bite-size pieces. Add both to the Dutch oven along with the cumin and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring regularly.

5. Add the broth, bay leaves, and saffron (if using), plus 4 cups water to the Dutch oven. If using whole chicken pieces, add them back into the pot at this point. If using thigh, wait until you add the dumplings.

6. Turn heat up until boiling, then lower to a simmer for 30 minutes.

7. In a large bowl, place the corn flour. Chop finely or grate the cheese. Add the egg and ¼ cup of the broth from the cooking soup. You want the dough to come together just enough so that you can be rolled into grape-size balls. If it is not moist, add another tablespoon or so of broth until it does. Do not overwork the dough, or the dumplings will become tough.

8. Form balls the size of a large grape out of the dough. let rest until ready to use.

9. Once the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the balls of dough directly into it. The cooking of the vori vori is similar to that of gnocchi, as soon as the dumplings rise to the surface, they are ready.

10. At that point, turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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FUN FACTS:

• Paraguay is one of the few South American countries to keep its native tongue as an official language, alongside Spanish. Guaraní is also an onomatopoeic language — many of its words imitate sounds of animals and nature.

• Duels are still legal in Paraguay, but you’ll need to be a registered blood donor to take part in one.

• In Paraguay, doors rarely have doorbells. You have to clap your hands in front of the door to announce your arrival, but due to the hot weather the windows are always open, so it works.