Goulash aka Guylas

“Life without tears is like goulash without paprika.”

Margaret McMullan

 

Is it a stew or is it a soup? Depending on the region, it could be called both.

One thing that is important about this dish is the ingredient is paprika. If it is not in the dish, it is not Hungarian. By the way, it is Hungary’s national dish.

So just where did this soup or stew come from? Well, thank the Hungarian shepherds. “Gulyas” literally means “herdsmen.” Dried meats and vegetables were portable and could be easily reconstructed. But there was just one ingredient missing.

Tilly, can you guess what that is?

Tilly: Gosh, I bet it was genuine herdsmen …

Well, that one little secret to this dish is paprika. I guess you could say paprika is just another name for the country of Hungary. By the 16^th century it was just introduced to Hungarian cooking. By the 19^th century it was the key ingredient for goulash.

So how did paprika pepper arrive in Hungary, and where did it originate?

Well, pick a spot on that planet called Earth. I wish food historians would have a convention and pick a spot somewhere.

Some historians claim that the paprika that came to Hungary came from the slopes of the Himalayas.

Tilly: Britannica claims the plant was first domesticated by Indigenous peoples in present-day Mexico, but specifically in Bolivia and Peru … approximately 6,000–7,000 years ago,

Then there is that fellow named Columbus, first name Christopher, who brought it into Europe from the Americas. In Central Africa, the Greek gods used it for snuff on Mount Olympus.

Tilly: Hope it wasn’t the hot paprika – sniffing that would blow their heads off.

Then there is Nero, whose doctor, Dioscorides, used it as a medicine.

Tilly: Hmm … Dioscorides, a Greek physician who lived in the 1st century AD, wrote “De Materia Medica,” a five-volume treatise on medicinal plants and other substances. “De Materia Medica”, a cornerstone of Western and Eastern medicine for centuries, does not mention paprika, as the chili pepper plant from which paprika is derived was not known in the Mediterranean region during Dioscorides’ time.

However, paprika is credited with aiding digestion, improving circulation, potentially reducing inflammation, normalising blood pressure, has antibacterial properties that can protect the digestive tract. It contains vitamins A, E, and C, carotenoids, and linked to improved eye health, enhanced immune function, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Some believe paprika can help with skin conditions like acne and may even offer protection against UV damage.

The iron and vitamin B6 found in paprika are said to improve circulation to the scalp, promoting hair growth and helping to maintain hair color.

Capsaicin, found in some paprikas, has analgesic properties and is used in some topical pain treatments.

Capsaicin may also have anti-obesity and appetite-suppressing effects.

Paprika has been used in folk medicine for various purposes, including as a remedy for intermittent fever.

Let’s just say it is one of those plants that grew around the world.

Tilly: And let’s just say it should be included in our diet more often!

Now back to goulash.

Now, for those of you who think this is a thick dish much like stew is today; well, you are wrong; it is soup/stew. The ingredients are very simple; it does not have a brown sauce in it a la the Germans. It does not have wine included in the recipe; the French do that

Tilly: Gotta love the French.

According to a few historians, you may use diced potatoes or galuska, which is a Hungarian version of dumplings.

Basically, goulash is beef, pork, veal, or chicken, shortening, paprika, onions, and, once in a while, certain herbs, spices, or some condiments.

Below is a basic recipe:

HUNGARIAN GULYÁS

3 tablespoons oil or lard

5 medium onions, diced

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 liters (2 1/2 quarts) water, plus a few extra spoonful’s

3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika (sweet)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1.5 kg (3 1/4 lbs) beef, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

5 medium carrots, sliced into bite-sized rounds

2 medium parsnips, sliced into bite-sized rounds

2 large potatoes, cubed

2 tomatoes, diced

Csipetke (pinched pasta), optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil or lard in a large pot (preferably a Dutch oven). Add the onions along with a few spoonfuls of water (so they don’t brown) and a pinch of the salt. Cook slowly over very low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are clear and glassy.

Remove from the heat and add the paprika, pepper, and caraway seeds. Stir quickly to combine and add a tiny bit of water (to prevent the paprika from burning).

Add the meat and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until the meat is slightly browned (about ten minutes). Turn the heat down to low, add a few spoonfuls of water, and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the meat is nearly cooked through.

Add the rest of the water and keep cooking, over low heat, for at least an hour, or until the meat is cooked and nearly tender enough to serve. This could take hours, depending on the cut of beef you used.

When the meat is nearly done, add the tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes and cook for about 15 more minutes, or until they are tender (being careful not to overcook them). Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

If you are using csipetke or another kind of small pasta, add it to the soup before serving.

Tilly: All my recipes for goulash call for yellow onions – which I haven’t seen in the UK since I cannot remember when.

May not be authentic, but Hungarian friends, years ago, told me I should serve it with yoghourt. Delicious.

“A day without paprika is like a day without sunshine.”

Hungarian saying.

Mine is a day without wine is like a day without sunshine.

Tilly

Enjoy

Olive and Tilly