Home cooking attempt — Halászlé from scratch

I spent an afternoon making Halászlé from scratch following a traditional recipe. Getting sweet paprika right was the main challenge — it's not as straightforward as it looks. The hearty and warming result was rewarding once I got it right.

paprika only entered Hungarian cooking in the 17th century but now defines the cuisine. I served it with soda water spritzer as the recipe suggested and the pairing made sense. It took longer than I expected but the outcome was genuinely satisfying. Making Halászlé yourself gives you a new appreciation for what goes into it at a restaurant.