Chicken Meatball and Barley Soup

In a three-liter pot, bring water to a boil and add the rinsed chicken breast. When it boils, remove the foam.

Salt and pepper to taste. Add finely chopped onion, carrots grated on a coarse grater, bay leaf and spice seasoning.

Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through.

Prepare ground meat from chicken breast and beef, or use one type of meat according to your preference.

Pass the onion through a meat grinder or chop finely. Add salt, pepper, spices, 1–2 eggs and 30–50 ml of strong alcohol to the ground meat for tenderizing.

Mix well until smooth, cover with a lid and let it soak.

Rinse the pearl barley in cold water, cover with cold water and cook for 20 minutes.

Drain in a colander and rinse.

Add half of the cooked pearl barley to the ground meat and mix well.

When the broth is ready, remove the bay leaf and chicken. Bring the broth to a rolling boil.

Quickly roll small meatballs in your palms and immediately drop each one into the boiling broth.

If there is not enough water after adding the meatballs, top it up from the kettle. Check the soup for salt.

Reduce the heat. Add the remaining pearl barley and potatoes cut into thin fine sticks.

Pre-cut the potatoes, soak them in cold water and rinse to remove the starch.

Cook for 40 minutes until the meatballs are done. 10 minutes before the end, add the leek, sliced into thin rings.

Turn off the heat. Let the soup rest for a bit and serve.