Fish soup

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Halászlé being served in Szeged, Hungary

This article is about hot fish soup as prepared in Pannonian region. For other fish soups, see List of soups.

Fish soup (Russian:уха, Hungarian:halászlé, Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian: riblja čorba or riblji paprikaš, Greek:ψαρόσουπα) is hot soup prepared with mixed river fish, characteristic for cuisines of Pannonian plain, especially wider region around river Danube. The meal originates from Slavic cuisine.

Traditionally, fish soup is prepared in small kettles on open fire by fishermen themselves. First, a lot of chopped onion is fried in the kettle with some oil and water until its gets yellow and softens. Then, hot ground chile peppers (paprika) is added, and the kettle is filled with water. When the water boils, other spices (such as black pepper, white wine, tomato juice) are added, and finally the fish, chopped into large pieces. Entire fish, including heads and tails, is usually added to the soup. The best soup is prepared with mixed fish; the most common species are common carp, catfish, perch and pike. Depending on amount of added peppers, the soup is mildly to very hot.

The soup is poured directly from the kettle into dishes and eaten with bread (the hotter the soup, the more bread is required).

Many people, especially fishermen, regard the preparation of fish soup somewhat of a cult. Although the recipe is basically simple, the "right" ratio of spices, onion, fish (especially, its quality and variety) and water, as well as timing, affect the soup taste significantly. Many dedicated fishermen keep their recipe as a highly-kept secret. Competitions in preparing the soup are popular and are usually held as fairs or picnics along river coast. Visitors are offered to taste the soup for money or for free, the quality is determined by public or committee and (un)success of competitors is often subject of mutual teasing. The soup is best consumed with Riesling wines, diluted with soda water (combination referred to as špricer in Serbian and Croatian referring to the German wordspritz, which is the sound effect made by soda water as it fizzes out of the dispenser; and fröccs in Hungarian).