👩🍳 Instructions:
- Onion base
- Heat lard/oil in a large pot.
- Add onions and sauté until golden.
- Stir in garlic, then remove pot briefly from heat and add paprika (so it doesn’t burn).
- Build the stew
- Add potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Stir well to coat everything in the paprika base.
- Simmer
- Pour in water/broth to just cover the potatoes.
- Add bay leaf, season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 25–30 minutes.
- Add sausage (optional)
- In the last 10 minutes, add sliced kolbász for smoky flavor.
- Serve
- Enjoy hot, with fresh crusty bread and pickles on the side.
👉 Variations:
- Some Hungarians like it completely meatless — just potatoes and paprika.
- Others enrich it with a touch of csipetke (pinched noodles) dropped in at the end.
- A spicy kick with erős pista (Hungarian hot paprika paste) makes it extra warming.
Would you like me to also share the campfire version (bográcsban), the way it’s cooked outdoors in a kettle — very rustic and smoky?