Gulyás

Ingredients

• 1½ lbbeef shankcut into bite-sized cubes; other stewing beef works too
• 14⅛ ozonionfinely chopped
• 3 tbsplardfor sautéing; oil or bacon fat as a substitute
• 2 tbsppaprikaHungarian paprika; must not scorch
• 1 tspcarawaywhole or ground, ideally dry-toasted
• 3 clovesgarlicchopped or crushed
• 1tomatodiced
• 1bell pepperpale green or red, seeded and diced
• 1Hot pointed pepperfor heat, cooked with the stew (optional)
• 8¾ ozcarrotsliced or diced
• 1parsnipor parsley root, sliced (optional)
• 14⅛ ozpotatoescubed
• 6⅓ cupswateror beef or poultry stock for the liquid
• 1bay leafremove before serving
• saltto taste, adjust during cooking
• ½ tspblack pepperfreshly ground
• csipetkesmall pinched noodles, cooked in the soup at the end (optional)
• 1 bunchparsleychopped, for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Sweat the onions slowlyHeat the pork lard in a large pot and gently sweat the finely chopped onions over medium heat until translucent and golden. Take your time here, because the onions are the foundation of the soup. Meanwhile, cut the beef shank into bite-sized cubes.
2. Stir in the paprikaTake the pot off the heat and stir the sweet paprika, caraway seeds and black pepper into the onions. Add a splash of water straight away so the paprika doesn't scorch and turn bitter.
3. Brown the beef and garlicPut the pot back on the heat, add the beef and garlic, and brown the meat, stirring, until it has taken on colour all over.
4. Stew the peppers and tomatoAdd the bell pepper, the tomato and, if you like some heat, the hot pointed pepper, and let everything stew together for a few minutes.
5. Add liquid and simmer longPour in the water or stock and add the bay leaf and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 to 1½ hours, until the beef is almost tender. Check on it now and then and top up the liquid if needed.
6. Cook the vegetables and potatoesAdd the carrots, the potatoes and, if using, the parsnip or parsley root, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until tender.
7. Cook the csipetke in the soupIf you'd like csipetke, use as many as you like, shop-bought or homemade; making them is not covered here. Drop the little pinched noodles into the simmering soup during the last few minutes and let them cook through.
8. Season and serveSeason the soup with salt and pepper to taste and fish out the bay leaf. Serve hot, scattered with chopped parsley if you like. The hot pointed pepper is either cooked with the stew in step 4 or served sliced on the side instead.

Tips and variations

Traditionally gulyás is made with pork lard and topped up with water only, though stock gives the soup a rounder flavour. Caraway isn't used everywhere in Hungary, so feel free to leave it out. For deeper, roasted notes, let the onions brown rather than just turn translucent. The Kolozsvár version, named after the city also known as Klausenburg, adds wedges of white cabbage to the pot. As a bean gulyás, it's made with shelled beans, kohlrabi, celery and smoked paprika. For something fresher, top each bowl with chopped shallot, hot pointed pepper, celery and pickled peppers. Bring it to the table piping hot and scattered with chopped parsley; if you like it spicy, cook the hot pointed pepper with the stew as in step 4.