Halászlé

Name: Halászlé
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Hungary
Ingredients: 1kg mixed freshwater fish (carp, catfish, pike), cleaned and chunked; 2 large onions, finely diced; 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika; 1 tsp hot paprika; 1 green pepper, diced; 1 medium tomato, diced; 1.5L water; salt to taste; soured cream and crusty bread to serve

Hungary

Halászlé is the centrepiece of Christmas Eve dinner in many Hungarian homes. Baja and Szeged fight endlessly over the correct method — Baja keeps everything in one pot, while Szeged strains the stock first for a cleaner broth.

Hungary's fiery fish soup — freshwater fish simmered with masses of paprika in a deep red broth, eaten on the banks of the Danube and Tisza. Baja and Szeged fight endlessly over the correct recipe.

Photo: János Korom Dr.

Prep

20 mins

Cook

45 mins

Difficulty

Easy

Calories

295 kcal

Serves

Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

1kgmixed freshwater fish (carp, catfish, pike), cleaned and chunked

2 largeonions, finely diced

3 tbspsweet Hungarian paprika

1 tsphot paprika

1green pepper, diced

1medium tomato, diced

1.5Lwater

saltto taste

soured cream and crusty breadto serve

Method

Simmer onion, pepper and tomato in water for 20 minutes.

Add paprika off heat, then return to simmer.

Add fish pieces. Simmer gently 20-25 minutes until fish is cooked.

Do not stir — this breaks the fish. Shake the pot instead.

Season generously with salt.

Serve in deep bowls with soured cream and bread.

Chef's Tip

The traditional recipe uses no vegetables other than onion, pepper and tomato — the fish flavour must come through. More paprika than seems reasonable is correct.

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Halászlé

Ingredients

Method

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