Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef shin, cubed
• 600 g onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
• 2 pieces red bell peppers, diced
• 2 pieces tomatoes, chopped
• 500 g potatoes, cubed
• 3 tbsp lard or sunflower oil
• 3 pieces garlic cloves, crushed
• 1.5 l beef stock

Steps

1. 1
   Cook the onions in the lard over low heat for 25-30 minutes until they collapse into a golden mass. This slow start is the whole backbone of the dish.
2. 2
   Take the pot off the heat before adding the paprika and stir it through — paprika burns and turns bitter in seconds over direct heat.
3. 3
   Return to low heat, add the beef, garlic and caraway, and stir to coat.
4. 4
   Add the tomatoes and peppers, then pour in enough stock to just cover.
5. 5
   Simmer very gently, partly covered, for 2 hours until the beef is yielding.
6. 6
   Add the potatoes and cook a further 25 minutes until tender.
7. 7
   Season and rest 15 minutes. It thickens as it stands and is better reheated the next day.