Making paprikash with dumplings

I think we all have a grandmother who made cooked some incredible recipes.  Now is a good time to try some of those old family favorites and/or learn how to make a new dish. My Hungarian grandmother made the best pie crusts.  The secret – lard, preferable home cured.  Many Hungarian recipes call for lard and, it turns out, there is a reason for that. The reason that there is extensive use of pork and lard originates from Turkish times. During the centuries of the Ottoman occupation (1541 to 1699) they took all the domestic animals except the pigs.  Their Islamic religion forbade the eating of pork. For the best flavor lard is still suggested. 

 

Needless to say lard is high in cholesterol so using plant based oils is recommended. 

One of my favorite recipes my grandmother made was Chicken Paprikash. When I was in Budapest, Hungary, I booked a cooking class with Chefparade. With Chef Geri Hajas instructing one other participant I learned how to make three recipes including Chicken Paprikash which is one of Hungary’s signature recipes. I was surprised – it tasted just like my grandmothers. 

Many Hungarian recipes call for paprika. Hungarians are the number one producers and consumers of paprika per capita. Hungarian paprika is made from peppers that are toasted and blended to create different varieties ranging from mild to fiery hot. 

Chicken Paprikash

3 tbsp sunflower oil

1 large onion, diced

2 tbsp sweet paprika

2 whole chicken legs

1 tomato, diced

1 Hungarian sweet pepper, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream

¼ (one fourth) cup flour

Water as needed

Put oil in a pot. Add onions. Cook over moderate heat until onions are glossy. Remove from heat then stir in paprika. Add a little water and mix. Add pepper, tomato, salt and pepper. Add chicken to the pot and return to stove. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to moderate.  Check occasionally to make sure there is enough water to cover the chicken. Turn chicken legs over after 30 minutes. Cook for an hour or so until chicken is cooked. In a bowl whisk sour cream and flour until smooth. Slowly add a teaspoon of liquid to the mixture, stir. Repeat two more times. It will prevent curdling. Add mixture to chicken. Stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with dumplings or noodles. 

Dumplings

2 cups flour

water

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

2/3 (two-thirds) cup water

1 tbsp sunflower oil

Fill a large pot 2/3 (two-thirds) full. Bring to a boil. Add some salt. In a bowl mix flour, salt, and eggs. Add water until the mixture is a sticky, semi-liquid dough. Is should not be too runny.  Place the dumpling maker over the boiling water,. Place dough in the dumpling maker box. Slide across the boiling water. Repeat until all the dough is gone. Remove with a slotted spoon when all the dumplings come to the top of the boiling water. Drain. Put in a bowl. Add sunflower oil. Toss to coat dumplings so they don’t stick together.  Serve with chicken paprika.

Tip: It you don’t have a dumpling maker a simple solution is to use a cheese grater. Place over boiling water. Put some dough on the cheese grater. Press through the holes with a spatula.