Hungary's halászlé: A flavorful journey beyond goulash
Hungarian cuisine is often associated with lángos and goulash, but it offers many more delicious dishes. One of these is the aromatic halászlé soup, which delights with its rich taste and aroma.
Halászlé, or Hungarian fish soup, is a true culinary treasure of Hungary. It is particularly popular in regions abundant with fresh fish, although it can be enjoyed both in Budapest and around Lake Balaton. Besides the fish, the secret to this soup's flavour is paprika and onions, which are common in other Hungarian dishes.
Origin of the halászlé soup
The recipe originates from the homes of fishermen living along the Danube and Tisza rivers as early as the early 19th century, when paprika became more widely available in Hungary. It was first mentioned in the book "Szegedi szakácskönyv" from 1876 by Teresa Doleskó as "fish paprika stew."
Recipe for Hungarian fish soup
The foundation of the dish is high-quality fish, preferably carp, due to its ability to maintain structure during cooking and its nutritional value. You can also use catfish, pike-perch, or pike in addition to carp. More readily available options like cod or hoki also work well. An essential ingredient is paprika, both powdered and fresh, as well as a generous amount of onions.
If anyone claims that soup can't be filling, they evidently haven't tried halászlé. Fish is a source of protein that provides satiety, and the vegetables complete the dish.
Ingredients:
- About 800 grams of cod, hoki, or carp fillet,
- About 1.2 litres of vegetable or fish stock,
- 2 yellow bell peppers,
- 2 red bell peppers,
- 1 green bell pepper,
- 3 potatoes,
- 2 carrots,
- 3 onions,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- 1 can of diced tomatoes,
- 2 teaspoons of hot paprika,
- 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika,
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika,
- 3 tablespoons of oil,
- Salt and pepper to taste,
- Parsley.
Preparation:
- Cut the fish fillets into medium-sized cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic. Then add the chopped vegetables and spices. Cook until they become soft.
- Add the stock and tomatoes to the vegetables. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes.
- Place the fish pieces in the soup and cook until the fish is tender and well-cooked.
Serve the soup hot, sprinkling it with chopped parsley. It's worth serving with a slice of fresh bread. Enjoy!
