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Gombapaprikás
Hungarian mushroom paprika stew with sour cream
Gombapaprikás is the meatless cousin of chicken paprikás, cooked in Hungarian homes on Fridays and through Lent, and a regular on the vegetarian line of Budapest's self-service étkezde lunch rooms. Mushrooms simmer in onion, paprika and a little pepper and tomato, then the sauce is finished with sour cream until it turns a soft brick-pink. It is quick, rich and comforting, and nokedli are its natural partner, though rice or boiled potatoes work too. Chef's tip: brown the mushrooms in a hot pan in two batches before they meet the onions, so they fry instead of stewing in their own water and the sauce tastes deep rather than watery.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat half of 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry half of 1 ⅓ lb chestnut or button mushrooms for 4–5 minutes without stirring too often, until browned and the squeaking stops. Tip out and repeat with the rest.
9 minStep 2: Lower the heat to medium, add the rest of the oil and 1 onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Add 1 clove garlic, 1 green or yellow pepper and 1 tomato and cook for 2 minutes more.
7 minStep 3: Take the pan off the heat, stir in 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika and ¼ tsp hot paprika, then return the mushrooms with ¾ cup water or vegetable stock and 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the peppers are soft.
5 minStep 4: Whisk ¾ cup sour cream (20%) with 1 tsp cornflour, then stir in 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce to warm it. Common mistake: pouring cold sour cream straight into a boiling pan, which splits it into grainy curds.
Step 5: Stir the warmed cream into the pan over a low heat and heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce is smooth, pink and just bubbling at the edges; do not let it boil hard. Scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve with nokedli.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gombapaprikás take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of chestnut or button mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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