Goulash

Goulash, also known as Gulyás, is a traditional Hungarian thick stew originally made by cattle stockmen. Today, it is prepared in both soup and stew form. Hungarian stews like the Goulash, Pörkölt, and Paprikás, all originated as herdsmen stew are considered national dishes in Hungary.

Goulash is perhaps the simplest of Hungarian dishes. They don’t need anything more than onions and paprika, garlic for taste, tomato for the color and wine for the game. When in season, caraway seeds and green pepper are also used.

Goulash is prepared by first frying the onions in fat until it obtains a light gold color. Remove from fire. Add the paprika powder to the hot mixture and stir well. Add the meat. Stir it to ensure that it is covered well by the onion-paprika-fat mixture and then return the container to the fire.

Goulash can be prepared beef, pork, lamb and veal. The shoulder, shank or shin parts of the meat are used. Thus, most
Goulash dishes have well exercised muscles. The meat is covered with salt and heated till it attains a golden brown state in a mixture of onion, paprika and lard or oil. After it is left to simmer a while, spices like garlic and caraway seeds, tomato, soup vegetables like carrots and parnship and herbs like hot chili peppers, bay leaf and thyme may be added. Adding potato is a good option as it releases starch when cooked, making the dish thicker. The Hungarians add a little white wine or wine vinegar to round up the dish.

It is served with small egg noodles called csipetke. The name comes from pinching small bits of dough before adding it. Csi means pinch.

Hungarian Goulash has a number of variations:

1. Gulyás à la Szeged

   In this variety, the amount of potatoes is reduced and the amount of vegetables are increased.

2. Mock Gulyás

   This variety is also called Hamisgulyás or fake goulash or gypsy goulash. In this variety, the meat is substituted with beef bones and vegetables.

3. Csángó Gulyás

   The pasta and potatoes are substituted with sauerkraut or rice.

4. Gulyás Hungarian Plain Style

   The home-made soup asta or cispetke is avoided and more veggies are added.

5. Bean Gulyás

   As the name suggests, this variety has kidney beans in them. The potatoes and caraway seeds aren’t added.

6. Likócsi Pork Gulyás

   The csipetke and potato is not added. Use pork and thin vermicelli instead. Lemon juice is added for flavor.

7. Mutton Gulyás or Birkagulyás

This goulash is cooked with meat. Red wine is added for flavor.

Goulash is famous outside Hungary too.

In Germany:

Known as Gulasch, Rindergulasch or Gulaschsuppe, it is a beef stew with potato in a rich tomato based broth.

In The Netherlands:

The Dutch also prepare Goulash using beef, lamb, pork or even fish. It is called vleesstoofpot.

In North America:

The goulash is made with ground beef rather than stew beef. The dish has been modified to suit local preferences.

The term Goulash is used in America as a slang to denote a dish made from left overs.

- Vishwadha Chander

Tags: bográcsgulyás, goulash, gulyás, hungarian stew

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