Equipment
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 40 g pork lard, solid
- 300 g yellow onions, finely diced
- 800 g beef shank or chuck, cut into 2cm cubes
- 25 g hungarian sweet paprika
- 5 g caraway seeds, whole or lightly crushed
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 2000 ml water
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, ground
Vegetables
- 200 g carrots, diced 1cm
- 100 g parsley root, diced 1cm
- 100 g celery root (celeriac), diced 1cm
- 400 g potatoes, diced 2cm
- 100 g fresh tomato, chopped
- 100 g green bell pepper, diced
Csipetke (Dumplings)
- 80 g all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat the lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and starting to turn golden, but not brown.
Add the beef cubes and sauté briefly until the meat changes color. Add the garlic and caraway seeds, stirring for another minute.
Remove the pot from the heat source. Stir in the paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mixing off-heat prevents the paprika from burning and becoming bitter.
Add the chopped tomato, bell pepper, and enough water to cover the meat (approx. 200ml initially). Return to low heat and braise covered until the meat releases its juices.
Pour in the remaining water (approx. 1800ml) and add the bay leaves. Simmer gently, covered, until the beef is nearly tender.
While the soup simmers, prepare the csipetke. Mix the egg, flour, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Knead into a stiff dough (add a drop of water only if absolutely necessary).
Pinch off small pieces of dough about the size of a bean (approx. 5mm) and roll them slightly between your fingers. Set aside on a floured plate.
Once the beef is nearly tender, add the carrots, parsley root, and celery root. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
Increase heat slightly to a boil and drop in the csipetke dumplings. Cook until they float to the surface and are soft.
Taste and adjust salt. Discard bay leaves. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes
- The quality of this dish relies almost entirely on the quality of your paprika. Buy genuine Hungarian 'Édes Nemes' (Sweet Noble) paprika if possible.
- Do not skim the fat from the top; it carries the flavor and color of the paprika.
- Csipetke dough should be very stiff. If it is too soft, the dumplings will dissolve in the soup rather than holding their shape.
- Traditionally, this is cooked in a 'bogrács' (cauldron) over an open fire, which imparts a smoky flavor. You can mimic this with a pinch of smoked paprika, though purists may object.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavor improves significantly after 24 hours.
Freezer: 3 months — Potatoes may become slightly grainy upon thawing; remove them before freezing for best results.
Reheating: Simmer gently on the stovetop. Add a splash of water if the soup has thickened too much.
