Hungarian yellow wax bean soup

Ingredients:

600g yellow wax beans (or 500g frozen), 1 heaped tsp salt, 1 small onion, 3 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp wheat flour, 1/2 tsp fine ground red paprika, 1 bunch of parsley, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1 tsp 10% vinegar, 1 small pot (150g) sour cream (optional), 1/2 tsp Univer hot Piros Arany or 1 level tsp mild Piros Arany, 1 level spoon of hot goulash paste

1. Wash the yellow wax beans, cut off both ends and remove the filaments (no filaments in young beans), then cut them in 2 cm pieces. Bring the beans to a boil in approx. 1,2 l water. Add salt and the cleaned and finely chopped onion. Let it simmer over low heat under a lid for 20 mins, while the beans become tender.

2. Meanwhile make a light brown roux (heat the oil in a frying pan, add the flour and cook it for 2 mins until light brown). Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle with paprika and add the chopped parsley.

3. When the roux has cooled, mix in sugar, vinegar and sour cream (or water to keep it dairy-free). Mix it with a little of the boiling soup until smooth, then add it to the beans. Boil it for 2-3 mins while stirring to allow the soup to thicken. Add more salt and spices to taste, and round it off with Piros Arany.

Useful advice:

As an option, you may add soup vegetables. Clean 2-3 carrots and 1 parsley root and slice them (or halve the slices if the roots are thick), and let them cook together with the yellow wax beans. Use fresh yellow wax beans between June and September, or a deep frozen product the rest of the year. Use Univer mild or hot goulash paste or stew seasoning to add a twist to the flavour.