Hungarian halászlé — the spicy river fish soup

Halászlé is the iconic soup of Hungarian cuisine, traditionally cooked by fishermen on the banks of the Danube. Its secret is the rich fish stock, Hungarian red paprika and the hot peppers that give it its characteristic flavour. A simple recipe, with few ingredients, but with a deep taste.

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 kg river fish (carp or white river fish), cleaned and cut into slices
• 3 large onions, finely sliced
• 3–4 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2–3 fresh hot peppers (to taste)
• 1 large tomato, cut into pieces
• 1 green pepper, cut
• 4–5 tablespoons oil
• 1.5 litres cold water
• Salt to taste
• Bread or thin noodles for serving

Preparation

1. In a large pot, fry the finely sliced onions in oil until they soften and turn golden.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and add the paprika immediately, stirring quickly — paprika burns easily and turns bitter.
3. Add the fish heads and tail, pour in the cold water and let it simmer gently for 30–40 minutes.
4. Strain the stock through a sieve, pressing the boiled onions well so they give body to the soup.
5. Put the strained stock back on the heat, add the fish slices, the tomato, the green pepper and the hot peppers.
6. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked. Add salt to taste.
7. Serve hot, traditionally with fresh bread or thin noodles.