Every post from Tori Avey of The Shiksa in the Kitchen is like going back to school for Jewish studies. It’s really a treat to get a little more in depth into where some of our favorite recipes originated. While a beef stew has origins in many cultures, this one was particularly interesting to me as my kids maternal grandmother was Hungarian and full of stories and traditional recipes. While she’s no longer with us, I’d love to make this recipe in her honor. Some alterations I might make would be to swap out the canola oil for olive oil and use some cauliflower rice in place of the white rice shown here. Whichever way you decide to make it, know you’re in for something hearty and delicious.
Marha Pörkölt translates from Hungarian to “Beef Stew.” What sets this dish apart from other beef stews is the paprika. Hungarian cooking is all about paprika; the spice is used liberally in many dishes. This particular paprika dish is quite common in Hungary. It originated with cattle herders, who made the dish in the fields in cast iron kettles and cooked it over an open fire. Marha Pörkölt is similar to another dish you may have heard of – goulash – which has the same origin and ingredients, though the texture of goulash would be slightly more soupy. You can actually make this recipe into a goulash by adding more liquid for a thinner sauce and adjusting the seasoning to taste…
