Stuffed Pepper Soup (Ciorbă de Ardei)

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
• 1 medium-sized carrot, grated
• 1 celery stalk (green or root celery), finely chopped
• 3 tbsp of oil (for cooking)
• Small-sized bell peppers (about 10-12) – or regular-sized peppers if needed
• 250 g minced pork or beef
• 2 tbsp of rice
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tsp of water
• Green thyme, to taste (or any herb you prefer)
• 3 tbsp of flour (for dusting the peppers)
• 3 l of water (depending on how much soup you want)
• 400 g tomatoes in their own juice (or fresh tomatoes if available)
• Borscht (optional, for sourness)