Let's have delicious Hungarian Goulash!

A couple of times a year I am having a dinner party with some great friends. Every time we choose a cooking theme that is from a country from all over the world. We take turns with hosting the dinner party. The host decides the dinner theme and the location of the dinner party is at her home. This time it was my turn. I had to come up with a country theme as the host. I had looked up countries with their local food dishes. How about choosing Hungary in Europe with their delicious goulash? Making a goulash takes up some time, since it has to stew a couple of hours. It is best to make it the day before since the taste becomes better the day after making it. This was perfect for playing as a host. I could cook a day in advance without hurrying. And if the food was going to be burned or would be tasting awful I would have plenty of time to cook it again. On the day of the dinner party itself I would have plenty of time to set the table.

And this Hungarian Goulash turned out to be very tasty. Perfect!

Hungarian goulash is made with a lot of vegetables and spices: #onions, green and red #pepper, #tomatoes, #potatoes, #paprika power (sweet), #fennel or #caraway seeds, #garlic, mineral salt, black pepper.

The main spice for Hungarian Goulash is paprika powder.

Paprika powder has lots of nutrients and may :

• boost eye health

• reduce inflammation

• improve cholesterol

• improve blood sugar levels

• protect against cancer

• be good for healthy blood

Another spice that is in Hungarian Goulash is fennel seed (or caraway seeds).

Fennel seed has also lots of nutrients and may:

• help regulate blood pressure

• reduce water retention

• reduce asthma symptoms

• purify blood

• improve eyesight

• improve acne

• prevent skin, stomach and breast cancer

If you are using Caraway Seeds, then you may have the following nutritional properties:

• reduce inflammation

• aids digestion

• antioxidant effect

Garlic is very nutritious and may:

• fight sickness - including common cold

• reduce blood pressure

• lowers cholesterol levels

• have antioxidants against Alzheimer and dementia

• improve bone health

Hungarian Goulash ingredients:

• 750 g beef for stewing, cubed

• 120 g butter

• 3 large onions, chopped

• 1 big red pepper, cut into strips

• 1 big green pepper, cut into strips

• 750 g potatoes, cut into big pieces

• 4 tomatoes, chopped

• 3 tbsp paprika powder

• 3/4 tsp fennel seeds (or caraway seeds)

• 3 garlic gloves, minced

• black pepper to taste

• mineral salt to taste

Preparation:

• melt butter in big frying pan/pot

• add chopped onions and fry until tender

• add paprika powder and coat onions with it

• add cubed beef and fry the beef on all sides until browned

• stew the onion and beef mix until beef is almost tender

• add fennel seeds, garlic, black pepper and mineral salt to taste

• then add red and green pepper, tomatoes and potatoes

• let it cook until potatoes are cooked, for around 20 minutes

• let the goulash cool down and put in fridge overnight

• heat up the goulash right before eating

• add more black pepper and salt if necessary

Ready and enjoy!

Serving suggestion

Officially Hungarian Goulash is eaten with pasta in it or as a side.

I like to have it with slices of French bread.

Prep time: 30 min

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 3-4 hours