Before reading this, you have to know just one thing–the Eastern European nation of Bulgarians has been pro in drinking and curing the following hangover for longer than the US has existed. 

Now imagine this. You're at home, getting ready for that party you promised to go to. You put on your cool boots and head out, promising yourself that you will drink only two, maximum three, glasses of wine tonight. You go to the bar pretty confident in your self-discipline, and order your first glass.

This is nice; it feels good.

You have control.

Two hours later, you're still there, hugging everybody around the bar, singing the song from Titanic, and drinking your fourth shot of tequila. Then it strikes you: you’ve lost it. But it doesn’t matter! Life is short! No time for regrets…

However, the morning comes, and it’s wiser (and crueler) than any other one before. You know what I’m talking about: you can’t fully open your eyes or stand straight for more than 3 seconds; your balance is poor, your stomach feels so empty that you actually feel like throwing up, and let’s just not talk about your head… Do you remember now?

Almost everybody has experienced a bad hangover (can a hangover be pleasant?!).

However, my people, from the mystical European nation called Bulgaria, can cure your hangover in less than 10 minutes. Where’s the catch, you may ask. Well…it involves cooking, that’s all.

You see, Bulgarians drink a lot–that’s not a secret. The Russian influence has always been prevalent, from its alphabet (Cyrillic), to its people (always ready to party), to its drinking habits (Vodka! Vodka! Vodka!). That’s why a couple of centuries ago, they came up with a genius solution for the horrible mornings that followed most of their parties: the Pork Belly Soup.

Bulgarian Pork Belly Soup

  • Prep Time:20 mins
  • Cook Time:3 hrs
  • Total Time:3 hrs 20 mins
  • Servings:5
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Pork belly
  • 4 cups Milk
  • Sunflower oil as much as your soul desires
  • Butter as much as possible
  • Red pepper
  • Salt
  • Garlic
  • Vinegar wine or apple
  • Red hot chili pepper

  • Step 1

    Clean the pork belly very well, and put it in a pressure cooker to boil for about 50 min. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, just boil it in a normal pot for three hours, or until it softens.

  • Step 2

    Take the belly out, wait for it to cool down, and cut it into little pieces. Save the broth from the belly, and filter it.

  • Step 3

    Put the butter and oil in a hot pan, and fry the red pepper for a little bit. Slowly add the milk, stirring, and add the broth. When it starts boiling, add salt and the cut pork. Leave the soup to cook for 5-10 min.

  • Step 4

    In the meantime, chop the garlic and mix it well with the vinegar.

  • Step 5

    To serve, put some of the ready soup in a bowl, and next to it, in a smaller cup, put the garlic-vinegar mix, as well as the red hot chili pepper.

  • Step 6

    To eat, take the garlic-vinegar mixture and pour it in your soup. Then add a lot of hot red pepper and enjoy!

Why it works: the protein and the fat from the pork belly, the fat from the butter and the oil, the warmth and richness of the broth, the acidity of the vinegar, as well as the spiciness of the garlic and the red hot chili pepper complement each other perfectly, completing their job as the best hungover treatment combo. The milk is also key here-it has a lot of calcium and healthy fat in order to wake up your body and give it the needed nutrients.

So the next time you feel like the drinks from last night were too many, just bring yourself to the kitchen, and cook a pork belly soup. Unlike your body after a long night of drinking, this soup will never betray you.