Goulash (Hungarian:gulyás) is a soup made of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika[1] and other spices.[2] Originating inHungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten inCentral Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.[3][4][5]
Its origins may be traced back as far as the 10th century to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds.[6] At that time, the cooked and flavoured meat was dried with the help of the sun and packed into bags produced from sheep's stomachs, needing only water to make it into a meal.[6] Earlier versions of goulash did not includepaprika, as it was not introduced to Europe until the 16th century.
The name originates from theHungariangulyás[ˈɡujaːʃ]ⓘ. The wordgulya means 'herd of cattle' in Hungarian, andgulyás means 'cattle herder' or 'cowboy'.[7][8] Over time the dish becamegulyáshús ('goulash meat') – a meat dish which was prepared by herdsmen. In medieval times, the Hungarian herdsman ofCentral Europe made use of every possible part of the animal, as was common practice. As meat was scarce, nearly all of the animal was often used to make the soup.
Today,gulyás refers both to the herdsmen, and to the soup or stew. From the Middle Ages until well into the 19th century, thePuszta was the home of enormous herds of cattle. They were driven, in their tens of thousands, to Europe's biggest cattle markets inMoravia,Vienna,Nuremberg and Venice. The herdsmen made sure that there were always some cattle that had to be slaughtered along the way, the flesh of which provided them withgulyáshús.[9][10]
In Hungarian cuisine, traditionalgulyás,[11]pörkölt, andpaprikás are dishes which evolved from the food of the cattle herders of the Hungarian plains.
In present-dayHungary, gulyás is known as a soup. It is also called gulyásleves, which translates to gulyás soup, although gulyás is understood commonly as a soup without specifying. While it may have more solid parts than broth and some versions may be called by English speakers a stew, the Hungarian language makes a strict distinction between stews and gulyás. The dish called gulyás is quite conservative with very little variations through the country. The basic ingredients include beef, onions, paprika, caraway seeds, potatoes, carrots and fresh noodles added directly to the soup (csipetke). Altered versions got their own name, like babgulyás which has beans or hamisgulyás which is meatless. Bográcsgulyás means a gulyás prepared traditionally in a kettle, called bogrács, outdoors, over open fire. It can be prepared anywhere because it needs only thebogrács, an iron tripod, a chain and a campfire. Every type of gulyás is a strictly one pot dish and considered a main course, even if it is a more soupy version.
Except forpaprikás, Hungarian stews do not rely on flour or roux for thickening. Original Hungarian recipes rarely use tomatoes and only in small quantities, the deep red colors come all from the authentic Hungarian paprika spice.
Modern gulyás is made from beef, while the original herdsmen had more access to mutton. Typical cuts include theshank,shin, orshoulder; in Hungary beef from older cattle is more common, which makes tastier broth but takes a longer time to cook. Meat is cut into chunks, seasoned with salt, and then browned with sliced onion in a pot with oil or lard.Paprika is added, along with water. After the gulyás is left to simmer. After cooking a while, whole or groundcaraway seed, and soup vegetables like potato, carrot,parsley root are added. However, paprika and potatoes are post-16th century additions, while gulyás traces its origin back to the Hungarians nomadic past. At the end small egg noodles calledcsipetke can be added. The nameCsipetke comes from pinching small, fingernail-sized bits out of fresh dough (csipet being Hungarian for 'pinch') before adding them to the boiling soup. Stew-like versions of gulyás are made the same way with letting the broth simmering down.
Restaurants use altered recipes, where the extreme long cooking time is replaced with broth, and the csipetke noodles is substituted bynokedli.
International Goulash is a dish closer to the Hungarian dishPörkölt, a stew which evolved from the original gulyás. After the former herdsmen's dish became popular through the whole Hungarian society variations arose which were not following anymore the techniques used for outdoor cooking. Nokedli - which is a Hungarian version of the traditional German noodleSpaetzle - became a side dish for stews. Nokedli is made by grating liquid dough into boiling water.
Gulyás Hungarian Plain Style. Omit the homemade soup pasta (csipetke) and add vegetables
Mock Gulyás. Substitute beef bones for the meat and add vegetables. Also calledHamisgulyás (fake goulash)
Bean Gulyás. Omit the potatoes and the caraway seeds. Use kidney beans instead.
Csángó Gulyás. Add sauerkraut instead of pasta and potatoes.
Betyár Gulyás. Use smoked beef or smoked pork for meat.
Likócsi Pork Gulyás. Use pork and thinvermicelli in the goulash instead of potato and soup pasta. Flavour with lemon juice.
Mutton Gulyás orBirkagulyás. Made with mutton. Add red wine for flavour.
A thicker and richer goulash, similar to a stew, originally made with three kinds of meat, is calledSzékely gulyás, named after the Hungarian writer, journalist and archivistJózsef Székely (1825–1895).[11]
"Paprikás krumpli" is a traditional paprika-based potato stew with diced potatoes, onion, ground paprika, and some bacon or sliced spicy sausage, like the smokedDebrecener, in lieu of beef.
In German-speaking countries, this inexpensive peasant stew is made with sausage and known asKartoffelgulasch ("potato goulash"). Bell pepper is sometimes added.
In Vienna, the former center of theAustro-Hungarian Empire, a special kind of goulash has developed. TheWiener Saftgulasch or theFiakergulasch (Fiacre being a horse-drawn cab) on the menu in traditional restaurants is a richpörkölt-like stew; more onions but no tomatoes or other vegetables are used, and it usually comes just with dark bread. A variation of theWiener Saftgulasch is theFiakergulasch, which is served with fried egg, fried sausage, pickles, and dumplings namedSemmelknödel.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, goulash (Bosnian:gulaš) is a very popular and traditional dish. Introduced during theAustro-Hungarian Empire, it has become a staple with the Bosnian variant consisting of a thicker consistency, with emphasis on slow-cooked onions and meat. It is typically served with bread, mashed potatoes, orpolenta, and regional variations may include veal, carrots, or beans.
Goulash (Croatian:gulaš) is also very popular in most parts ofCroatia, especially north (Hrvatsko Zagorje) andLika. InGorski Kotar andLika, venison or wild boar frequently replace beef (lovački gulaš). There is also a kind of goulash withporcini mushrooms (gulaš od vrganja). Bacon is an important ingredient.
Gulaš is often served withfuži,njoki,polenta or pasta. It is augmented with vegetables. Green and red bell peppers and carrots are most commonly used. Sometimes one or more other kinds of meat are added, e.g., pork loin, bacon, or mutton.
Szeged goulash served in a Prague pub with CzechknedlikyGoulashserved in bread in a restaurant in Prague
In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, goulash (Czech andSlovak:guláš) is usually made with beef, although pork varieties exist, and served with boiled or steamedbread dumplings (goulash with beef in Czechhovězí guláš s knedlíkem, in Slovakhovädzí guláš s knedľou), in Slovakia more typically with bread. In pubs it is often garnished with slices of fresh onion, and is typically accompanied by beer. Beer can be also added to the stew in the process of cooking. Seasonal varieties of goulash include venison or wild boar goulashes. Another popular variant ofguláš issegedínský guláš (Székelygulyás), withsauerkraut.
In Czech and Slovak slang, the wordguláš means "mishmash", typically used asmít v tom guláš: to be disoriented or to lack understanding of something.
Fish goulash (Amharic:አሣ ጉላሽ;asa gulaš) is a popular dish in Ethiopia, particularly during the numerousfasting seasons as required by theEthiopian Orthodox Church.[16] It is usually prepared with a spicy sauce having a tomato and onion base and served withinjera or rice.[17]
GermanGulasch is either a beef (Rindergulasch), pork (Schweinegulasch), venison (Hirschgulasch), or wild boar (Wildschweingulasch)[18] stew that may include red wine and is usually served with potatoes (in the north), white rice or spirelli noodles (mostly in canteens), and dumplings (in the south).Gulaschsuppe (goulash soup) is the same concept served as a soup, usually with pieces of white bread.
Venison goulash with dumplings, leeks, andlingonberry sauce served in BerlinTomato-based goulash with root vegetables, paprika, and beef. Served with beer and brown bread at an outdoor café inBerlin
Goulash in Italy is eaten in the autonomous regions ofFriuli-Venezia Giulia andTrentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, that once had been part of theAustro-Hungarian Empire. It is eaten as a regular Sunday dish. It can also, although less typically so, be found in the nearbyVeneto. An interesting regional recipe comes from thePustertal (Val Pusteria, Puster Valley) inSouth Tyrol. It is made of beef and red wine, and seasoned with rosemary, red paprika, bay leaf, marjoram and lemon zest, served with crusty white bread or polenta. Goulash is also quite popular in the city ofAncona, which is culturally quite near to eastern Europe.
Polish potato pancake and spicy goulash with sheep milk cheese and sour cream
InPoland, goulash (Polish:gulasz) is eaten in most parts of the country. A variant dish exists that is similar to Hungarianpörkölt. It came to being around the 9th century. It is usually served with mashed potatoes or various forms of noodles and dumplings, such aspyzy.
InSerbia, goulash (Serbian:гулаш) is eaten in most parts of the country, especially in Vojvodina, where it was probably introduced by theprovince's Hungarian population.[citation needed] It is a pörkölt-like stew, usually made with beef, veal or pork, but also with game meat like venison and boar. Compulsory ingredients are meat and onions, usually in 50-50% ratio, paprika, and lard or oil, other ingredients being optional: garlic, parsley, chili pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, red wine, mushrooms, bacon. Sometimes, goulash is sweetened by adding tomato paste, sugar or dark chocolate at the very end. In Serbia, goulash is most often served with macaroni or potato mash.
InSlovenepartizanski golaž, "partisan goulash", favoured bySlovenianpartisans during theSecond World War, is still regularly served at mass public events. "Partisangolaž" uses onion in equal proportion to meat; two or more types of meat are usually used in preparing this dish. The most widespread form of golaž in home cooking is a thick beef stew that is most commonly served with mashed potatoes. As elsewhere in the wider region, Szeged goulash, usually referred to assegedin, is also a popular dish for home preparation.
North American goulash, mentioned in cookbooks since at least 1914, exists in a number of variant recipes.[19][20] Originally a dish of seasoned beef,[20] core ingredients of American goulash now usually include elbow macaroni, cubed steak or ground beef, and tomatoes in some form, whether canned whole, as tomato sauce, tomato soup, and/or tomato paste. As a descendant, of sorts, of Hungarian goulash, it probably originated as a variation of the Hungarianbográcsgulyás which mixes all the ingredients together in the end. This mixture of ingredients has probably led to many variations where any mixture of meat and paprika is often called goulash.[19] In English, the word “goulash” has an alternative meaning of "a mixture of heterogeneous elements or hodgepodge or jumble".[21]
^Mulugeta, Temesgen (13 April 2019)."Fasting Season, No Longer Boon for Fish Industry".The Reporter (Ethiopia).AllAfrica.com. Retrieved21 May 2019.Seble, which gets its supply of fish from Bahir Dar and Arba Minch, sells around 150 fish meals a day during the year. But during the fasting season, that number spikes to 250 a day, including fried fish, fish stew and fish goulash.
