Ingredients
- Oil
- 1.5 kg fish (preferably whole carp; you can also mix catfish, pike-perch, etc.)
- 2 onions
- 1 tbsp Fish soup spice mix
- 1 tbsp Paprika powder
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Paprika cream (e.g., Piros Arany)
- Salt
Preparation
Clean the fish, removing scales and bones. Cut off the tail, head, and fins. Slice the rest into smaller steaks (moten), sprinkle with salt, and set aside in the refrigerator.
Peel and finely chop the onions. Heat oil in a large pot or a special bogrács (cauldron) used for fisherman's soup. Briefly sauté the onions. Traditionally, the fins, tail, and head are added to the onions along with the Paprika powder and just enough water to cover them. Let this simmer gently for about 30 minutes to create a base broth.
Wash and chop the bell pepper and tomatoes. Add these to the pot along with the salted fish steaks. Stir in the Spice mix and Paprika cream, then let it cook for another 45 minutes over low heat. Do not stir the soup; instead, move the pot or bogrács in a circular, swirling motion. This prevents the delicate fish from breaking apart.
The soup is ready when the fish is tender. Use a spatula to carefully place the steaks onto plates and pour the hot broth over them. Garnish with fresh rings of pepper and serve with a dollop of sour cream (crème fraîche).
Enjoy your meal!
Preparation time: ± 1.5 hours
