The most popular food known to us from Hungary is goulash. Since Hawaii is distant — about halfway across the globe — from that country known as “the Breadbasket of Europe,” what most of us think of the dish does not match what’s authentic. How many knew, for instance, that goulash is soup, not stew?

Diamond Head residents Ilona Penzes and her husband, Gabor Paczolay, both grew up in the eastern part of Hungary, known as the Great Plains region. The area is noted for its fertile soil and beautiful flat landscape. The couple moved to Hawaii in 1988 and still enjoy making traditional Hungarian foods.

Penzes, a busy Realtor, says “gulyas” (pronounced GOO-yash), is the perfect meal to make for parties. The red, paprika-flavored soup can be easily made in large quantities and, when served with homemade dumplings and bread, is quite filling. Her trick is to make the soup mild and offer condiments of cut red chilies or hot red chili paste so everyone can dictate their own spiciness.

“Paprika is a very important spice in Hungary,” Penzes says. “We can distinguish about 300 paprika flavors from sweet to mildly hot to really hot, and they vary in texture and color.”

When making gulyas, says Penzes, there is a specific order in which to add the vegetables to achieve proper consistencies. Basically, harder ingredients are added first.

Vegetables are cut in specific ways: Carrots and parsnips are sliced into coins. Potatoes are diced into half-inch cubes, the same size as the cooked beef chunks. Onions are diced as well to allow them to dissolve in the tasty soup.

Penzes starts by browning bacon, simmering onions and adding a bit of ground caraway seed and a good amount of paprika powder. Then cubed stew meat, salt and water are added to the pot and cooked until the meat is halfway done. The root vegetables are added and simmered, followed by red bell pepper and celery. When the meat and vegetables are almost done, potatoes are added.

When the potatoes are almost tender, basic dumplings called “nokedli” (NOH-kid-lee) are added to the soup.

The dough is a simple combination of flour, eggs, salt and water. While Penzes has a specialized dumpling strainer, it is easy enough to drop half-teaspoons of dough into the gently boiling soup. When the dumplings are tender, serve the soup with cut white bread and chilies, which are added to taste. Traditionally, red wine is served with gulyas.

Gulyas can be tailored to accommodate the preferences of your family. Penzes’ husband doesn’t like cooked red bell peppers, for example, so she adds large chunks of them to add flavor, then removes them from the soup.

And since not all ingredients in traditional gulyas can be found in Hawaii, Penzes improvises. To replace parsley root, she adds a small parsnip. Instead of lard, she uses bacon. In lieu of the exceptionally large fresh eggs she finds in Hungary, Penzes uses two large eggs.

The flour for the homemade dumplings is usually made from the hard wheat flour famous in her region. Surprisingly, she found Hungarian brand high-altitude flour at Walmart; it comes close to what she finds in her homeland, she says.

Since the color red is valued in Hungarian culture, Penzes asks relatives to bring her favorite Hungarian homegrown paprika when they visit Hawaii. It is the sweet paprika that gives the dish its color and distinctive taste. Penzes says brown gulyas is a sign that the cook burned the paprika and is not a good cook.

Son Gabi, a University of Hawaii student, shares a tip: when cooking guylas, wear a red shirt so that if it spills on you, no one can tell. According to Penzes’ mother, if you wear white and get a paprika stain, put it out in the sun immediately and it will fade.

The origin of this national soup is said to be on the Great Plains, where herdsmen tended cattle. Over a fire in a kettle, they would make the famous soup.

In fact, the word for herdsman is the same as the dish — gulyas. And that is why some recipes call the dish “gulyasleves,” “leves” meaning “soup.”

Penzes says that like most recipes, gulyas varies by region. Some recipes in other parts of the country call for garlic, tomatoes or black pepper. Penzes’ version reflects recipes in the Great Plains, served by almost every family.

Gulyasleves (Goulash Soup)

» 4 to 5 strips bacon, sliced (can substitute 3 tablespoons vegetable oil)
» 1 large onion, diced
» 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seed
» 3 tablespoons ground sweet paprika powder
» 2-1/2 to 3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
» 2 teaspoons salt
» 6-1/2 cups water
» 2 medium carrots, cut into coins
» 1 small parsnip, cut into coins
» 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
» 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
» 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
» Nokedli (homemade dumplings; can be substituted with small dried pasta)

Nokedli:
» 2 eggs
» 1/2 cup high-altitude flour (substitute all-purpose flour)
» 1/2 teaspoon salt
» 2 tablespoons water, as needed

Sliced red hot peppers or hot pepper puree, for serving (optional)

In large pot, heat bacon until crisp. Add onions and simmer until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add caraway and simmer a few minutes. Remove from heat, then add paprika powder and stir. Add the meat and season with salt.

Return to heat, cover and cook on medium 5 minutes. Add 6 to 6-1/2 cups water and continue cooking on medium about 30 minutes, or when meat is halfway cooked. Add carrots and parsnips, cover and cook 10 minutes, then add red bell pepper and celery. Cook 15 minutes. When meat and vegetables are almost cooked, add potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add dumplings or pasta.

To make dumplings: In bowl, mix eggs, flour, salt and water to smooth, viscous consistency.

Into gently boiling soup, add batter by small spoonful (about 1/2 teaspoon). Cook 4 to 5 minutes until nokedli are tender.

Serve soup hot with slices of bread and hot peppers or hot pepper puree on the side for those who like it spicier. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 4 slices bacon and 2-1/2 pounds of stew meat and including nokedli): 550 calories, 20 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 195 mg cholesterol, 1,400 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 51 g protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., a nutritionist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii-Manoa.