Halászlé

A river-fisherman's dish from the Tisza and Danube, codified in late-19th-century Szeged and Baja, two towns that still argue over the recipe. Szeged passes the broth through a sieve for a smooth liquid; Baja serves it over fresh egg noodles and keeps the broth chunkier. Paprika became central only after the spice itself became affordable in Hungary in the 1800s.

Tisza and Danube fisherman's soup, codified in the late 1800s when paprika became affordable. Szeged strains the broth smooth; Baja keeps it chunky and serves it over fresh egg noodles. Paprika goes in off-heat — boil it and the carotenoids scorch brown and bitter.

A red-orange fish soup served bowl-hot, the broth nearly opaque from paprika and reduced fish stock. Bone-in carp or catfish chunks sit at the bottom; the surface carries a slick of paprika-stained fat. No vegetables float — they were strained out. Eaten with white bread to dip, never noodles. Heat builds slowly from hot paprika; the broth itself is salt and fish, not tomato.

Two-stage cook: first simmer fish heads, bones, and trim with onion for an hour to extract gelatin and flavor, then strain and add fillet pieces in the last 10 minutes so they hold shape. Paprika goes in off-heat — boiling paprika scorches the carotenoids and turns the broth bitter and brown instead of sweet and red. The fat must be enough to suspend the paprika, or the spice settles to the bottom.