Hungary for a Little Goulash?

Are you hungry for a little goulash, Hungarian goulash that is? Hungarian goulash is a chunky, hearty beef dish that incorporates onions, paprika, and green peppers and has a consistency found some where between a soup and a stew. This stout dish was in the past and continues to be now a favorite among the Hungarian herdsmen, so fittingly the word "goulash" derives from the Hungarian word "gulyás" meaning cattle or herdsman. Gulyás once known as peasant's food is now prized as Hungary's most popular cultural dish and international travelers from around the world go there to indulge in the aromatic comfort food. Today, Hungarians regularly consume gulyás as a main meal and it may be accompanied by potatoes, noodles, bread, or pastries. Whether it is spelled "gulyás" and made in the kitchens of Hungary or "goulash" and made in another pot of the world, this is definitely a dish to be savored.

Goulash is indeed a great vigorous meal inspired by the interpretations and tastes of great cooks who have made this dish a timeless and culturally enriched classic.

How to Make Goulash

Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)
2 Slices of bacon
1 pound boneless beef chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
3 cups beef stock
2 cups water
1 teaspoon marjoram (can be substituted by basil or oregano)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
Salt, black pepper, and dash of cayenne pepper (cayenne pepper may be omitted)
3 tomatoes, cut in fours
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 red peppers, cut into chunks
1/2 green bell pepper, cut in chucks
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons water
Sour cream (may be omitted)
Noodles

Directions:
Wash beef, dry, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Put bacon into cast iron, brown, and remove.
If needed add oil in pot then add beef.
Remove the beef from the pot once it has browned on both sides and set aside.
Add onions and garlic to pan; cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add paprika, cayenne (may be omitted), beef stock, 2 cups water, marjoram (can be substituted by basil or oregano), cumin, salt, pepper and meat. Stir well and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover the pot and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and peppers. Stir the ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
In a mixing cup combine flour and the 2 tablespoons water and stir to form a paste. Add the paste slowly to soup. Stirring as it is added. Reduce heat to low heat, stirring the mixture until thickened.

Noodles should be put into the soup before serving (ingredients below).

Top with a dollop of sour cream.

How to Make Noodles

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix flour and salt; add egg. Stir the mixture to make dough.
Knead dough until smooth. Cover and let rest at least 30 minutes.
Flour the palms of hand. With hands roll dough into a ball; flatten a little between palms (to about width on a finger), and pinch off pieces about size of a nickel.
Drop them into boiling salted water and cook about 15 minutes or until tender.
Drain and rinse noodles, coat with little oil, and set aside until soup is ready.Once soup is ready drop noodles in and serve.