Goulash Soup (Gulyás): A Hungarian Specialty

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp animal fat (lard, tallow, or oil)

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 medium bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium stalk of celery + 1 rib of celery, diced

• 1 medium tomato, whole (to peel) or chopped

• 1.65 lbs beef shank (750 g ≈ 1 lb 10 oz)

• 3 medium carrots, diced

• 2 medium potatoes, diced

• 1 parsnips, diced

• 8 cups of water (2 liters)

Seasoning

• 1.5 tsp paprika (or more to taste; Hungarian sweet paprika preferred)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 pinch of salt

• Pepper to taste

• 1/2 bunch parsley

Directions

1. Wash the meat, remove the membrane, and cut it into smaller cubes.

2. Wash and peel the vegetables.

3. Crush the garlic.

4. Cut the onion, bell pepper, and celery stalk into small cubes, and cut the carrots, celery, and potatoes into smaller, roughly equal cubes.

5. In a large pot (about 7-8 liters), melt 1 large tablespoon of fat over medium heat.

6. Add the onion and simmer.

7. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and celery stalk as you go. It is not enough to simmer the onions until they are glassy; the base should also take on a little color, allowing it to add even more flavor to the soup.

8. In this case, I take out most of the base and mix it together. I only fry the meat, sprinkled with salt and pepper, on a small bed of onions so it browns better, adding more seasoning to the broth. After browning, I pour the onion puree back in, which gives it a silky, creamy texture.

9. At the end of the meat roasting, season it: first sprinkle the paprika into the pot to mix the meat well, then add the bay leaf and cumin, pour in a little water, and season with salt and pepper.

10. When the water boils, throw in the cut tomatoes crosswise from top to bottom, and take them out after a few minutes so we can peel them, blend them, and pour them back in as a liquid seasoning.

11. If you don't want to bother with purees, add the diced tomatoes to the base. Put the diced meat in the pan and let it soften like a stew, then pour the water over everything.

12. Let the meat cook until tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the Csipetke!

To form the dough:

1. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt.

2. Add flour gradually, mixing with your fingers.

3. Keep adding flour until you get a stiff, non-sticky, firm dough.

4. It should feel firmer than pasta dough and drier than cookie dough.

5. Knead briefly until smooth.

6. Let rest 5–10 minutes (optional but helps).

Forming Csipetke:

1. Tear off a piece of the dough and flatten it lightly in your hand.

2. With your thumb and index finger, pinch off tiny pieces — about the size of a pea or a small bean.

3. As you pinch each piece, let it fall onto a floured board.

4. Lightly dust with flour and toss occasionally to prevent sticking.

Cooking Csipetke:

1. Drop the csipetke into the simmering goulash during the last 10–12 minutes.

2. Stir so they don’t clump.

They are done when they float and look lightly puffed.

If you find it's too much (say, if the egg was large and absorbed a lot of flour), then only put half or three-quarters of it in the soup, and dry the rest for later.

• When the meat is tender, add all the vegetables except the potatoes to the soup. At this point, pour in about 4 liters of water to fully cover everything. Now we can turn the heat up a little.

• After 5-6 minutes of boiling, when the vegetables are only half soft, add the potatoes and csipetke.

• Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking. When all the pasta has risen to the surface and the potatoes have softened, remove the pot from the heat. Check the flavors.

  
  

  Serve the soup in plates, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with freshly baked homemade bread, green, sharp, hot peppers, Strong Pistachios, or dried, hot, spicy paprika for those who like stronger flavors.

  
  

  Bon appetit!