Tag: recipe

Hungarian Lentil Soup with an Indian Flair

If you are like me and enjoy eating with the seasons, you might find it difficult to find dishes to make now. There are no local produce growing here, in fact we just got 5 inches of snow today. I would like to post my favorite recipe that I often turn to when I am out of ideas. This dish is my lentil soup.

This delicious lentil soup is super easy to make and is very filling. You most likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I just make a Hungarian soup base with root vegetables like carrots, celery and onions. I also add cabbage or green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and of course the lentils.

I use curry and paprika powders to spice the soup. When I was shopping at an Indian grocery store, the Indian shopkeeper told me that he often added Hungarian paprika to curry. Hmm interesting, so when I went home I gave it a try. I added curry powder along with paprika to this soup and the results were phenomenal. The Indian man gave me a great tip! I really like how the curry and the paprika work together in this soup.

That is it! It takes less than an hour to cook and it will never disappoint you. Try it and please let me know in the comment section what you think!

RECIPE

INGREDIENT
  • 4 cup Stock (chicken or vegetarian)
  • 1 cup dried French or brown lentils or 1 can of lentil (14 oz)
  • 1 medium sized onion, finally chopped
  • shortening (sunflower oil, lard)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large tomato or 1 can (14 oz)
  • 3 medium sized carrots, chopped and peeled
  • 1 cup green vegetables (cabbage, spinach, kale), chopped
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
  • Preparing the lentils. Clean and soak the lentils for a 8 hours. (You can skip the soaking if you don’t have time). Discard the liquid. Add 3 cups of fresh water and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low heat for 1 hour. Turn burner off. Let the lentils soak up the let over cooking water for 15 minutes with the lid on. Set aside. (Omit this step if you are using canned lentils).
  • Meanwhile prepare the soup base. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir. Add chopped celery, continue sauteing for 5 more minutes. Keep stirring.
  • Add the curry, paprika and crushed garlic for 1 minute. Stir. (Make sure there is enough oil). Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break up. Stir.
  • Add the carrots, cabbage or spinach and the stock.
  • Bring to a boil. Turn down to low heat and continue cooking for 45 minutes
  • Add the cooked lentils along with its cooking liquid and salt to taste. Stir.
  • Serve hot with bread or biscuits.

Enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com

Krumplis Pogácsa (Hungarian Potato Biscuits)

In Hungarian fairy tales, mothers often make hamuban sült pogácsa (biscuits baked in ashes) for their sons when they set out on a journey to see the world. Infact, when I graduated from high school, every student got a little satchel with a pogácsa (biscuit) inside as symbol for this tradition to help us mentally get ready for our life journey.

It is still a popular staple in Hungarian homes except we don’t bake them in ashes anymore but they are baked in modern ovens. Pogácsa is similar to the English biscuits. There are many variations and can be made with potatoes, sheep cheese or pork crackling. I used potatoes in this recipe. Pogácsa is always made for holidays especially if guests come over. They are soft and flaky and can be served as an appetizer or with the main meal.

COOKING TIPS

Boiling the potatoes. I use a stainless steel steamer basket with ‘feet’ that elevates the potatoes above the water so the vitamins and minerals stay inside and so they don’t soak up too much water. If they soak up too much water, they will need additional flour that would make the dough too heavy.

Working with the dough. Make sure your work place temperature stays cool and does not exceed 65 F while cutting the pogácsa. If it is too warm, cut-out bogácsa can loose its shape and come out a bit crooked. The temperature will not have an effect on the flavor though. If your dough is too warm, no worries! Just put it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound Russet potatoes
  • 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), room temperature
  • 1 pound (3 3/4 cup) flour, cut and sifted
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sugar for the yeast
  • 2 eggs, divided
  • 1 T salt + 1 tsp for the top
  • 2 T caraway seeds, divided
METHOD
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Take the butter out of the refrigerator.
  3. Boil the potatoes on a steamer basket. (For more info, please read above). Add cold water to the pot, bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down and continue cooking on medium low heat covered until fork tender.
  4. Prepare the yeast. Warm milk to a temperature that is comfortable on the wrist, not too hot or cold (104 – 108 F). Pour milk over the yeast and sprinkle in a little sugar (1/2 tsp). Mix. Cover. In a warmish place, let the yeast rise for about 5 – 10 minutes. Set aside.
  5. Peel the potatoes while they are still hot but you can handle.
  6. Mash the potatoes while they are warm.
  7. Add butter, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and the salt to the potatoes. Mix well. Add the prepared yeast, flour and 1 egg. Mix.
  8. Knead quickly, don’t overdo.
  9. Let the dough cool.
  10. Cover and place the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hours.
  11. Take dough out of the refrigerator.
  12. Let the dough come to room temperature. Fold it in three layers. Roll out the dough on a floured board to about 1-2 inch thickness.
  13. Cut the dough into any size rounds with a biscuit cutter. (I used a 2 inch diameter cutter).
  14. With the edge of a knife, make crisscross cuts on top. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp salt. Spread the tops of the biscuits with egg wash.
  15. Sprinkle a little caraway seeds on the top.
  16. Put the pre-cut pogácsa on a pre-greased baking sheet.
  17. Quickly collect all the remaining dough in a ball and repeat the previous steps (steps 12 to 15) until the dough is used up.
  18. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the top has a nice oranges/brownish color.
  19. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  20. Store covered with a cloth.

Enjoy! Jó étvágyat!

Photos and text by twincitiesherbs.