Authentic Hungarian Goulash Recipe from the Budapest Tourism Website

A Classical   Hungarian Goulash Recipe           

Ingredients (for 4 persons)                       

• 600 g beef shin or shoulder, or any tender part of the beef cut into 2x2 cm cubes
• 2 tablespoons oil or lard
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 carrots, diced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1-2 celery leaves  
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 tbs.  tomato paste
• 2 fresh green peppers
• 2-3 medium potatoes, sliced  
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway seed
• 1 bay leaf    
• ground black pepper and salt according to taste
• water

          Instructions

1. Heat up the oil or lard in a pot and braise the chopped onions in it until they get a nice golden brown color.
2. Sprinkle the braised onions with  paprika powder while stirring them to prevent the paprika from burning.
3. Add the beef cubes and and saute them till they turn white and get a bit of brownish color as well.
   
   
4. The meat will probably let out its own juice, let the beef-cubes simmer in it while adding the grated or crushed and chopped garlic (grated garlic has  stronger flavor), the ground caraway seed, some salt and ground black pepper, the bay leaf,  pour  water enough to cover  the content of the pan and let it simmer on low heat for a while.
5. When the meat is half-cooked (approx. in 1,5 hour, but it can take longer depending on the type and quality of the beef)  add the diced carrots, parsnip and the potato's, the celery leaf and some more salt if necessary (vegetables tend to call for more salt). You'll probably have to add some more (2-3 cups) water too.

When the vegetables and the meat are almost done add the tomato cubes and the sliced green peppers. Let it cook on low heat for another few minutes. You can remove the lid of the pan if you want the soup to thicken.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                      Photo by freestock.com