Hungarian Goulash (Gulyas) Soup

dorika #2's Note:

This is my mother's recipe from Budapest. I made it a couple of times already and all the nationalities (such as my oz boyfriend) liked it where I live in France...... it can be more of a soup but foreigners like it more like a stew (less water). I would definitely add egg noodles (csipetke) to it as well. It is a little bit of a slow work, needs to be stirred very often, keep adding water and salt whenever its needed. . . but the result is worth it! Usually tastes better the day after as all the flavours grow together. Jo etvagyat!

• Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 kg beef , diced (shank, shin or shoulder)
• 2 middle size red onions , chopped
• 3 pieces carrots , sliced
• 1 -2 piece turnip , sliced
• 1 piece bell pepper , sliced
• 1 piece tomato , sliced
• 4 -5 pieces potatoes , diced
• 1 tablespoon ground paprika
• 1 pinch cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 3 ½ cups water (or as much soup or stew you want)
• 1 vegetable stock cube (optional)

Egg noodles

• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt
• 150 g flour (or till becomes hard paste)
• 1 teaspoon water

Directions:

1. Fry the chopped onions on cooking oil till they glaze. Take it off from hob and add grounded paprika. (If you leave it on the fire and add paprika it will make it bitter).
2. Add diced meat. Now you can put it on the fire again. Stir well paprika, onion and meat.
3. Add water and steam with lid on till the meat is half cooked. Keep adding enough water. Stir it every few minutes so it won't burn.
4. Add as much cold water as much soup you want. Boil it. Salt it.
5. When boiled add all the vegetables and cook till everything is softened. It takes a while, especially for the meat.
6. Near the end add the spices (cumin, cube, chili, pepper) and salt again if needed.
7. Add egg noodles.
8. Egg noodles: mix egg and flour and teaspoon water together till its hard enough. Pick pea-sized bits off it and put it in the soup towards the end and cook it till they come up to the surface. Then they ready.