Vori vori

Origin of the name

The name "vorí vorí" comes from the Guarani language. In Guarani, one way of specifying abundance is by repetition of a word. So, "vorí" is one, but "vorí vorí" can be two or more.

The word "vorí", which names the dish is a derivation of the Spanish word "bolita" ("little ball", in allusion to the little corn balls found in the dish). The word passed into Guarani as "borita", (no 'l' in Guarani) and finally shortened to "vorí". Then, "vorí vorí" is "bolita bolita".

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

Ingredients

Typical vorí vorí contains: corn flour and fresh cheese formed into balls, fatty soup or broth, and 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 one has a mixture from which the little balls can easily be made by hand.

Every vorí should be the size of a big grape. Once there's enough little balls made, these are put in boiling soup and cooked for about 5 minutes. If the soup turns 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 Paraguayan War 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.