Hungarian Goulash

Name: Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients: 800 g beef; 800 g potatoes; 200 g onion; 200 g bell pepper (traditionally green); 2 heaping tbsp paprika; 2 cloves garlic; salt; pepper; vegetable oil (or lard) for frying; 80 g flour; 1 egg; salt

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish — a very thick, hearty soup and a main course all in one. Hungarian goulash soup was traditionally made by shepherds over an open fire in a large cauldron before a long, hard day of work. Goulash is made with beef, potatoes, onion, and bell pepper, seasoned with dried sweet paprika and garlic. The onion is usually sautéed in rendered lard (I used vegetable oil — I prefer it that way), then the remaining ingredients are added gradually and the dish simmers for a long time until everything is fully cooked. It's traditionally served with small flour dumplings called "csipetke," though in my opinion the goulash soup is quite wonderful even without them. The aroma of the finished dish surprisingly reminded me of borscht, even though the goulash contained no tomato paste, no tomatoes, and no beets — just as borscht itself contains no dried paprika.

Ingredients:

800 g beef
800 g potatoes
200 g onion
200 g bell pepper (traditionally green)
2 heaping tbsp paprika
2 cloves garlic
salt
pepper
vegetable oil (or lard) for frying
For csipetke:
80 g flour
1 egg
salt

How to cook hungarian goulash

Peel the onion and finely chop it.

Cut the beef into pieces about 2 cm on each side.

Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot (or melt lard or finely chopped fatback). Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent.

Reduce the heat, add the paprika, and stir to combine.

Add the meat and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in one cup of boiling water, bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 1–1.5 hours, until the meat is completely tender.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes.

Seed the bell pepper and cut it into square pieces.

Pour an additional 600 ml of boiling water into the pot with the meat. Season with salt and pepper, and add the garlic pressed through a garlic press. Add the potatoes.

Add the bell pepper.

Cook for 30–40 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

While the goulash is cooking, make the csipetke. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt using a spoon.

Add the flour in portions and knead into a dough.

Pinch off small pieces of dough and place them on a plate ("csipetke" means "to pinch" in Hungarian). Lightly grease the plate and your hands with oil beforehand so the dough doesn't stick.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, drop in the csipetke, and cook for 3–5 minutes after they float to the surface.

Ladle the finished goulash into bowls and add the csipetke. I personally loved serving Hungarian goulash with sour cream — it's absolutely delicious. After a soup this hearty, you won't need a second course.