It’s a miserable cold wet afternoon where I live and my thoughts turn to soup. This is a cheap but very tasty soup from Hungary.

Hungary is one of the former socialist countries which has a rich food culture persisting into our own times.

However it is under considerable pressure from corporate capital’s drive — partly successful — to replace traditional food suppliers, which operate through small shops and markets or from the farm gate, with those works of the devil, supermarkets.

There aren’t many vegetarians in that part of the world and this is usually made with the addition of however much smoked sausage can be afforded — but smoked tofu or vegetarian sausages can be used instead.

The characteristic ingredient of this version of cabbage soup is caraway seeds, which give it a quite inspiring flavour.

Ingredients

•  450g/1lb green cabbage, shredded
•  2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
•  220g/½lb smoked tofu, smoked-style vegetarian sausages, or smoked sausages, cut into large cubes or thick slices
•  Large potato, diced
•  Stick celery, sliced very fine
•  Small onion, peeled and sliced
•  1.5l/2.6 pints stock, heated
•  Bay leaf
•  ½ tsp caraway seeds
•  Scant teaspoon paprika
•  Salt, freshly ground black pepper
•  Sour cream or plain yoghurt
•  Parsley, finely chopped, to garnish

What to do

Heat the oil and fry the tofu or sausage. The heat and length of time will vary according to just what you are using.

Raw sausage obviously has to be cooked through but most vegetarian sausages and smoked tofu can be fried quickly on a high heat.

Add the potato, celery, onion, garlic, caraway seeds, paprika and bay leaf.

Stir for one minute on a medium-high heat, then add the hot stock.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the cabbage and cook a further eight minutes.

Serve with good, crusty bread and topped with the yoghurt or sour cream finished off with the parsley.