Goulash, a thick, rich and flavoursome beef stew is the national dish of Hungary. The secret is to cook the dish slowly in order to bring out the best flavours of all the ingredients and to ensure that the meat is tender and soft.

Ingredients

1 lb 10 oz (740 g) of lean stewing steak, cut into chunks
20 fl oz (600 ml) of beef stock
14 oz (400 g) tin of chopped tomatoes
6 oz (170 g) of sliced mushrooms
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 chopped onion
1 crushed clove of garlic
2 tbsp of paprika
2 tbsp of tomato purée
2 tbsp of lard
1 tbsp of cornflour
1 tbsp of water
freshly chopped parsley to garnish
salt and pepper

Method

Heat the lard in a large frying pan or heavy-based saucepan.
Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry over a medium heat for about 5 - 6 minutes.
Add the chunks of beef and fry until browned all over (3 - 4 minutes).
Add the paprika and coat the meat in the spice.
Do not let the paprika cook for too long. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, chopped red pepper and the mushrooms and mix all of the ingredients together. Cook for a further 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Carefully add the beef stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Cook on a low simmer for 1½ - 2 hours or until the meat is soft. Keep an eye on the dish during cooking and stir regularly.
In a small cup or mixing bowl, combine the cornflour with the water until a paste has formed. Add to the pan and stir well until the goulash has thickened.
Season with salt and pepper.
Once the desired texture and flavour has been reached serve the goulash hot with rice or potatoes.

Spicy Fried Chicken Pieces

You can use chicken drumsticks in this recipe. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, coated in a flour and paprika mixture, fried in oil and then left to cook slowly until cooked though and crispy.

Ingredients

3 lb (1.35 kg) of chicken pieces (drumsticks)
4 fl oz (115 ml) of buttermilk
2 oz (55 g) of plain flour
1 tbsp of paprika
1 tbsp of water
1 tsp of black pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Method

Place the buttermilk into a large bowl and add the chicken drumsticks.
Mix together and leave to one side for 5 minutes.
Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large frying pan.
Place the flour together with the paprika and pepper in a bowl and combine.
Take a piece of chicken and dip it into the flour mixture, coating it evenly all over.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time to ensure a light brown coating all over.
Once the chicken pieces are browned, reduce the heat to low and add the water.
Cover the pan with a lid and continue to cook over a gentle heat for a further 30 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over at regular intervals.
Remove the lid and cook further until the coating is crispy and the chicken is tender.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot or cold.

Spicy Cod and Mango Stir-Fry

This is an exotic and exciting recipe for cod, which is perfectly partnered with green and orange peppers, baby corn, bean sprouts and mango.

Ingredients

1 lb (455 g) of skinless cod fillet
3½ oz (100 g) of baby corn
3½ oz (100 g) of bean sprouts
1 sliced green pepper
1 sliced orange pepper
1 sliced mango
1 sliced red onion
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
2 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of medium sherry
2 tbsp of sunflower oil
1 tbsp of paprika
1 tsp of cornflour

Method

Rinse the fish under a cold running tap and then pat dry with kitchen towel.
Slice the cod into thin strips with a sharp knife.
Place the cod into a bowl or dish and add the paprika. Coat the fish with the spice and set to one side.
Heat the oil in a large wok.
Add the sliced onion, peppers and baby corn and stir-fry for about 4 - 5 minutes, mixing all the ingredients together.
Add the sliced cod and the mango and cook for a further 3 minutes until the cod is cooked through.
Finally add the bean sprouts and mix well.
In a small mixing bowl, blend together the tomato ketchup, soy sauce, sherry and the cornflour with a spoon until smooth.
Add the mixture to the wok and stir well.
Cook until the juices have been thickened by the cornflour (2 minutes).
Transfer the stir-fry to individual serving dishes and serve hot with noodles or rice.

Back to Introduction to Spices.