Hungarian Woulash

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 3-4 tomatoes (diced)
• 1-2 bell peppers (diced)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 hungarian wax pepper (finely chopped, with seeds)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• liberal use of crushed peppercorn
• 1/2 cup textured-vegetable-protein (dry) [optional]
• 1 15oz can red beans (drained)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium-high. When warm, add onions, garlic, oregano, and basil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, soy sauce, paste, and hungarian wax pepper. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Add broth, salt, peppercorn, textured-vegetable-protein (tvp) and beans. Bring to a boil, then low heat for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Serve, if you are lucky, this will be rather spicy!

Inspired by

I was looking for a goulash and stumbled upon this recipe. However, once again I have not followed it too closely!

Closing

I was craving a goulash recipe, something my grandma used to make, comfort food I guess! I think the irony is, I did not find a Hungarian Goulash recipe, but rather an “American” goulash recipe, but used a Hungarian Wax Pepper (from the garden)! I left out the macaroni and cheese (the former a primary ingredient for a goulash). This tasted more like a chilli, but it did not use any chillies! In the end this was more of a soup. I was feeling a little under the weather, and this most definitely cleared the sinuses!

Because it’s not a goulash, and since it uses a Hungarian Wax Pepper, I will name it, Hungarian Woulash, fine, it sounds corny, but I am cool with that.

The next time, I will not likely add the TVP, I do not feel it added much to the experience, and the beans did a really good job. However, maybe I will add barley instead (I thought about it instead of macaroni).

Enjoy this steaming pot of spice!