The transformation of paprika into this vital element of Hungarian cuisine is a curious and fascinating story. Like the meeting of two people who seemed fated to fall in love, the marriage of paprika and Hungarian cooking was almost predestined. (George Lang The Cuisine of Hungary, 1985)

A bottle of Hungarian wine made me promise to make goulash. A Gallup Poll of 1969 listed goulash as one of the five most popular meat dishes in America. Now desperately unfashionable, it is hardly ever found in cookery books or on menus. I plan a revival.

The word goulash comes from the Hungarian guylás herdsman, hús meat. It isn’t in the first edition of the OED but is in the Supplement. The first example of its use is dated 1866 and appears in a letter written by the Crown Princess of Prussia, ‘I have all their favourite dishes cooked for them – goulash for the Hungarians, and polenta and macaroni for the Italians’.

So off to find a good goulash recipe but Ahhh! I have a copy of George Lang’s The Cuisine of Hungary. In his book, a whole chapter is devoted to traditional stews. Goulash (or gluyás as Lang never translates from his native Hungarian) was known
in the 9th century. Meat was cooked, dried and stored in bags made from sheeps’ stomachs. It was reheated with water for use.

The essential spice was caraway. Paprika was added later. Soured cream is frowned upon and using wine Lang declares to be ‘Frenchifying’ a great Hungarian dish. Of course, there are lots of regional variations so that is a good excuse to use what you want. Lard is the fat of choice but smoked bacon or lardons can be substituted.

Paprika, a capsicum, brought from the Americas by Christopher Columbus, was first cultivated in any quantity in Spain and Turkey. From Turkey it moved to Hungary probably via Bulgaria. Hungarian paprika is considered the best. There are various varieties which will be chosen according to the dish. Paprika bought in supermarkets unhelpfully says ‘product of more than one country’. Smoked paprika should never be used.

Finally, George Lang answers an important question. Is goulash a soup or a stew? The answer is that it can be both. More stock makes it a soup and less a stew.

George Lang’s Kettle Gulyás

2 medium onions
250g smoked lardons (or 3 tbsp lard)
1.2 kg stewing steak
2 clove garlic
2 tbsp paprika (George Lang lists ‘Noble Rose’ paprika)
2 green peppers
1½ tsp caraway seeds
400g potatoes
2 ripe tomatoes
Salt

Peel the onions and chop them coarsely. Fry in a large casserole dish over a gentle heat with the lardons or lard. Cook until the onions are soft but not coloured.
Add the beef. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that all the beef is browned.

Using the blade of a knife, crush the garlic and caraway seeds with a little salt. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the garlic mixture and paprika and stir around using a wooden spoon. As soon as the paprika is absorbed add cold water to the casserole – how much depends on how liquid you want the final dish to be.
Put a lid on the casserole and return it to the heat. Let it cook gently for an hour.

Skin the tomatoes and cut into chunks, Core the green peppers and slice into rings. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm dice.

Add the tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and more water, if necessary, to the goulash and leave to cook for a further 1 – 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the potatoes soft. Check for seasoning.

Little dumplings
1 egg
3 tbsp plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vegetable oil

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon ¼ teaspoon portions onto the top of the steaming goulash. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve the goulash piping hot in deep bowls.