The big Hungarian fisherman’s soup guide

The red gold, the fisherman’s soup. We all eat it, we all love it, we all make it differently. The fisherman’s soup you eat at one part of the country is prepared entirely differently from another. What are the major regions, and how are they different from each other?

Fisherman’s soup of the Tisza region

The collective term “fish soup of the Tisza region” can refer to the Szeged, the Szolnok, or the so-called Tisza vinous varieties. The recipes of the Tisza region are more complicated than the recipes of Baja: while in the latter one fish are not sieved, but simply stewed with onion and the soup is made strictly from carp, in the Tisza region first a broth is made from onion, paprika and fish offal, then it is sieved, and the fish steaks cut earlier are prepared in it. This soup also lacks noodles, while the Baja fish soup is prepared with pasta called “gyufatészta”. And as of 2017, fish soup of the Tisza region officially became a Hungaricum.

For a great recipe in English click here.

Fisherman’s soup of Baja

This type of fisherman’s soup originates from the town Baja by the Danube. The main difference between the Baja and Szeged varieties is that people in Baja put noodles into the soup when they cook it in Bajai style. Hungaricum.hu writes that

“Fish soup is consumed by almost all residents of the town of Baja ever since it was added to civilian cuisine in the second half of the 19th century. The Baja fish soup is a tradition and cultural heritage that was passed on through generations. Baja fish soup is an intellectual asset that contributes to the national cohesion and strengthening of new generations. The preservation of the cultural heritage of Baja fish soup can also be an example to other settlements in how to preserve local culture and local identity in our current multicultural world.”

For a great recipe in English click here.

Here are two other great recipes from different regions from the country which are famous for their unique take on this traditional dish.

Fisherman’s soup from Mohács

Bama shares a great fisherman’s soup recipe from Mohács.

Ingredients:

• 1kg carp
• 1 medium onion
• 5 l of water
• 5 spoons of sweet ground paprika
• 2 cherry peppers
• 5 cloves of garlic
• salt to taste

Preparation: Cut the previously washed fish into thick slices. Salt and leave to stand for 1-2 hours. Add the diced onions and cherry peppers to the fish. Put 1.5 litres of water per 1 kg of fish into the kettle. Start cooking on a bigger fire. When it starts to boil, add the ground paprika. Cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Fisherman’s soup from Upper Hungary

Sokszínű Vidék shares an interesting recipe from Upper Hungary.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium carp
• 3 large onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 green peppers
• 1 l water
• salt to taste
• 4 tbsp. ground paprika
• half of a fisherman’s soup stock cube

Preparation: Slice the onion and fry it in a large saucepan over oil or grease. Chop the tomatoes and bell peppers, add a little salt to let the onion soak. Reduce heat, then add the red pepper. Cook carefully, do not burn it becomes it becomes bitter. Pour 1l of warm water into the pot and add about half of the fish. Once the fish is soft, remove from heat and squeeze the whole thing and blend it together. Put the remaining (cut) fish pieces into the hot soup three minutes before serving. If the seasoning is off, use that half piece of fisherman’s soup stock cube.

Source: www.sokszinuvidek.24.hu; www.bama.hu; Daily News Hungary; www.szegedtourism.hu; www.en.funiq.hu; www.hungaricum.hu