Bajai Fish Soup

Clean the fish: scale it, gut it, remove the gills, and then rinse it thoroughly under running water. Put the carp's head, tail, and spine parts separately with the offal (head, tail, spine), and cut the nice slices into 3-4 cm thick pieces. It's easier than you think, trust Kukta AI!

Lightly salt the fish fillets and slices, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate. Meanwhile, check the offal, remove any blood clots to prevent the broth from becoming cloudy and bitter. Remember, perfect prep, perfect soup!

Peel the onion, finely chop or slice it very thinly. Place the onion in a large, wide-bottomed cauldron or pot, place the fish offal (head, tail, spine pieces) on top, and pour in about 2 liters of cold water. You are on your way to greatness!

Chuck the whole or halved hot pointy peppers into the pot, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes, with a strong but not crazy boil, uncovered. Skim off some of the foam that forms, but leave some in there for flavor!

Once the fish scraps are totally cooked and the onions have fallen apart, strain the broth through a sieve or food mill, scraping the meat off the bones too. Pour the thick, oniony-fishy broth back into the pot.

Bring the broth back to a boil, then take it off the heat and stir in the sweet ground paprika and a little hot paprika to taste. Mix it quickly so the paprika doesn't burn, then put it back on the heat and simmer gently.

Carefully place the salted carp slices into the paprika broth, trying to keep them in a single layer. Add the tomatoes and green peppers whole or in larger pieces. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cook for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pot but not stirring, so the fish slices don't fall apart.

Meanwhile, cook the matchstick pasta in plenty of salted water until it's al dente (about 6-8 minutes). Drain it, toss it with a little oil or fat so it doesn't stick together, and keep it warm until serving.

Taste the fish soup while cooking, and if necessary, add salt or hot paprika to taste. The broth should be bright red, thick, full of onions and fish, and have an intensely paprika flavor.

When serving, first put a portion of cooked matchstick noodles on the plate, place 1-2 nice carp slices on top, and then generously drizzle with hot, paprika-flavored fish soup. Eat immediately, freshly, and hot. Mmm, enjoy this amazing Kis Kukta recipe!