Campfire Fish Soup (Ukha) in a Cauldron

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Get everything ready to make the ukha. You'll need a very simple set of ingredients. Scrub the carrots and potatoes with a brush to remove any leftover dirt.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the potatoes and carrots and rinse them in clean water. Wash the onions thoroughly, skins and all.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the potatoes into large pieces; if you have small tubers, leave them whole.

4. Step 4:

   

   Cut the carrots into rounds, half-moons, or sticks — whatever you like and are used to.

5. Step 5:

   

   Scale the fish, gut it, and remove the gills. Rinse each one in water, then pat it dry with a towel.

6. Step 6:

   

   Cut large fish in half, or into 3–4 pieces (depending on size). Leave small fish whole.

7. Step 7:

   

   Light the campfire, pour water into the cauldron, and leave it over high heat until it boils.

8. Step 8:

   

   When the water starts to bubble, add the potatoes and onions to the cauldron. You can peel the onions if you like — it won't change the flavor of the finished dish much.

9. Step 9:

   

   The onion skins give the broth a lovely golden-yellow hue, so I prefer to leave the onions unpeeled. Cook the vegetables for about 5–10 minutes, trying to keep the water from bubbling hard — adjust the fire so the broth just barely simmers.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the carrots to the cauldron and salt the soup-to-be to taste. Cook until all the vegetables are fully done.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add the fish to the broth.

12. Step 12:

    

    Stir very gently, skim off the foam that forms, and leave it to simmer over the fire for about 10 minutes (until the fish is done).

13. Step 13:

    

    Meanwhile, put a log in the fire so that one end chars (as in the photo).

14. Step 14:

    

    Pour in a shot of vodka.

15. Step 15:

    

    Then dip the charred end of the log into the cauldron, hold it for a second or two, and lift it out.

16. Step 16:

    

    To finish, add roughly chopped fresh herbs to the ukha.

17. Step 17:

    

    Remove the remaining coals from under the cauldron, cover the soup, and let it rest for about 10–15 minutes. The ukha is ready — time to serve!