Hungarian Goulash

Goulash, gulyas, is the national dish of Hungary, and at home it is not the thick stew of abroad but a rich, brothy soup: beef and vegetables simmered with onions and plenty of paprika, the spice that defines Hungarian cooking, sometimes with little pinched dumplings. Born of the herdsmen of the plains who cooked it in a kettle over a fire, it is hearty, warming and deeply flavoured.

What you actually see

• The paprika broth - the rich, red, paprika-scented soup.
• Beef and vegetables - the tender beef, potato and vegetables within.
• The kettle tradition - the herdsmen's dish cooked over an open fire.
• Paprika - the spice at the heart of Hungarian cooking.

When to go

Year-round; hearty comfort food especially welcome in the cold, found in restaurants everywhere. A traditional restaurant, or a kettle-cooked version at a festival, does it best.

Honest expectations

The real Hungarian gulyas is a soup, not the thick stew called goulash abroad, which surprises many. It is hearty and paprika-forward rather than fiery hot. Quality varies, so a traditional restaurant beats a tourist-menu version.

Nearby

Restaurants across Budapest and the country serve it; the Great Plain is its spiritual home.