Gulyásleves

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Gulyásleves is a typical Hungarian soup, made of beef, paprika and various other ingredients. It originates from the cattlemen ("gulyás" = Hungarian cowboy; "leves"= soup) who tended their herds in the Great Hungarian Plain, known as the "Alföld" in Hungarian. These Hungarian cowboys often camped out with their cattle days away from populated areas, so they had to make their food from ingredients they could carry with themselves, and this food had to be cooked in the one available portable cauldron over an open fire. Beef, onions, paprika, and caraway seeds provide its typical flavour. Cubed potatoes and pasta squares are typically added to this spicy soup. There are different variations of the recipe. Tomatoes and fresh peppers (often hot chillies) are also added. Often mixed meats are used (e.g. beef and mutton/lamb). "Gulyásleves" is a very characteristic Hungarian dish. This dish is not to be confused with another typically Hungarian (and similar) recipe which has become known outside Hungary as "goulash", which really is Hungarian "pörkölt" or "paprikás", and which is not a soup.

[edit] History

Although Gulyásleves is considered a traditional Hungarian dish by many, it became popular only when the Hungarian industrialization began. The purpose of this dish was to provide as much energy for the consumer as possible and so was made from all ingredients available regardless of taste. It may contain abundant pork and fat as well as beef, which are quite in contrast with more traditional (but by now forgotten) Hungarian dishes made of turkey and tortoise. It is still more popular with tourists than Hungarians.

See the article goulash for its various international bastardizations and derivatives.