Spicy Hungarian Goulash with Sriracha

Bison Goulash with Nokedli and Roasted Cabbage

As one of Hungary's national dishes and a symbol of the country itself, goulash (Hungarian spelling: gulyás) is a pretty big deal to my Uncle Gyula.  No, not because his name looks like someone with dyslexia tried to spell goulash the Hungarian way, but because he's originally from Budapest.

After spending some time as a political prisoner in 1959, shortly after the Soviet tanks rolled into Hero's Square and Janos Kadar became a household name, Gyula managed to escape to America with some luck, a couple stolen bicycles, and possibly some divine intervention-- I mean, the man had to crawl his way through minefields with a spoon, for Pete's sake!

Gulyás simmering on stovetop

While America was a bit of an adjustment for my uncle (he was once kicked off of a public beach because he had a DIY swimsuit; skimpy by American standards), Gyula settled into life Stateside and is now enjoying retirement.  Unfortunately, he has not been back to his country of birth despite the fall of communism, so food and the occasional Magyar newspaper are the only remaining links to his own culture.

Gyula's stories about his escape and life under communist rule have always intrigued and inspired me.  For this reason, I decided I needed to feed the man some down-home Hungarian cooking.  Currently, Uncle Gyula enjoys his position as my official judge for anything Hungarian, barring cabbage.  As a child during WWII and an adolescent/young adult during communism, he says he ate enough cabbage in 19 years to last multiple lifetimes.

In regards to this particular recipe, it is worth noting that as some of the top consumers of capsicums in the world, Hungarians aren't afraid of a little fire in their food.  Therefore, I wanted to see how my homemade sriracha got along with an authentic gulyás.  The result: the Gyula approved recipe shared below. 

Healthier Patatas Bravas

The popularity of patatas bravas has been both a blessing and a curse.

Blessing: As Spain's most iconic tapa, you find versions of this dish in practically every establishment that serves food throughout the country.

Curse:  A lot of places do not do them well.  Most bars don't cook the potatoes twice, or use frozen pre-cut pieces.  However, more often than not, the real culprit behind an abhorrent experience with this famous little plate is bravas sauce from a jar.

Solution:  Make this cheap, simple, and easy dish at home.

Cock Sauce (AKA Homemade Sriracha)

You might have heard of the Sriracha shortage--heck, you might have even been affected by it-- but that's no reason for you to miss out on what very well may be America's favorite hot sauce.

Honey Harissa Brussels Sprouts

"Oh, no!  Not another harissa recipe," said no one ever.

This time I've combined my homemade harissa  with some honey in order to get some sweet and spicy action on roasted Brussels sprouts.

If you've seen my video and read the post on how to roast Brussels sprouts, this is still worth checking out, as the technique here is a little different.

Here the Brussels sprouts only take about 15 minutes to cook and we're going to get some really nice color on them by browning on the stovetop before they take a trip to the oven.

As always, use this technique to branch out and be creative.  The concept here is to make a sauce with a little sweetness, spiciness, and some acidity to make our mini cabbages really pop.  Try sambal, a little fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime for some Southeast Asian flavors.  Want something Mexican?  Honey, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime, anyone?

Is It a Stew or a Pot? It's Both: Chicken Tajine

Spicy Chicken Tajine w/ Apricots & Walnuts

You know that harissa I had you make way back when on Tuesday?  Well, it'll come in handy if my take on a chicken tajine happens to tickle your fancy.

Spicy Harissa at Home

Originally hailing from North Africa, harissa is a fiery hot sauce as ever-present in the Maghreb as ketchup is on American tables.  That being said, any further comparisons to ketchup (other than noting that they're both condiments) are almost outright offensive.  

Varying not just from country to country, but one ethnic group to another, a sojourner in the region would encounter many different styles of the famed hot sauce.  However, mainstays at the harissa party include hot red chiles, coriander, and olive oil.  Easy enough, right?  So, why don't you give it a try?

Super Bowl Food: Green Chili Empanadas

For the second of my three posts this week on "Super Bowl" food, I'll be sharing a dish representing the Denver Broncos' home state of Colorado.  In the first post of the series, I shared Colorado green chili, which is a popular meal in Broncos country.

That recipe makes calls for two and a half pounds of pork shoulder, so you're bound to have some leftovers.  With regards to the chili world, leftovers aren't a bad thing-- you can stuff them into burritos or just heat up and throw on some rice-- but with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, you need something economical and tasty to serve your guests.  These green chili empanadas are perfect for that.

Not only are the ingredients for my green chili recipe inexpensive, the only thing left to do is make a little bread, which is dirt cheap.

What's Green, Fragrant, and Consumed All Over Colorado? Chili, Of Course!

Colorado Green Chili w/ Candied Jalapeños, Tortilla Crisps, and Chipotle Pinto Crema

Surprised at the answer in the title?  You shouldn't be.  Green chili ubiquitous across the Centennial State.  What makes this chili so special?  Well, it's all about the chiles.

Chicken Chettinad Masala - Not For the Faint of Heart

Although, I am a big fan of Indian cuisine, I'm not much of a fan of Indian restaurants (at least here in America).  First of all, most of them run buffets during lunch, which may be the only time you can get to them.  The quality of food on a buffet always takes a hit because of the large quantities prepared, and necessity to hold the food at a particular temperature to assure safety dries it all out.  Have you ever had tandoori chicken from a buffet that wasn't as desiccant as the Thar?  I know I haven't.

Additionally, the food served at most restaurants in America fails to deliver truly aromatic and flavorful dishes one expects from the Indian subcontinent for two reasons:

1.  Spices are expensive and Indian food uses a lot of them.  For this reason, a lot of restaurants cut back on the amount they use to reduce costs.  Your vindaloo might taste like ketchup, and your roghan josh will arrive to your table a deep red color from the paprika they used in place of the pleasantly piquant Kashmiri chiles, which create a burnt orange hue, not ruby. 

2.  Your curry is probably drowned in heavy cream!  Even if you aren't ordering korma or chicken makhani, the kind proprietors of your local Indian establishment have caught onto the fact that Americans love creamy, fatty foods, so they started throwing it into everything they make, further muting the essential spices.  

The solution to all of this is to make your own Indian food at home.  Desi people are a huge immigrant group in the U.S. and worldwide (England, the Caribbean, Spain).  Chances are there's an Indian or Desi grocery store near your humble abode.  This means you can get the necessary stuff to make proper Indian cuisine, probably saving money along the way, too. 

An African Afflatus: Chicken Piri Piri

In the mood for something hot?  Search no further, as this African-inspired chicken piri piri will more than satisfy your cravings for capsaicin.  

Not Your Amma's Rogan Josh

First, a disclaimer: In no way does this recipe claim to be an authentic interpretation of Kashmiri rogan josh, hence the title, "Not Your Amma's (common Indian term for grandma) Rogan Josh."

"Real" rogan josh comes from the Kashmir region of India, where they have Kashmir chilies (mirch/i).  These chilies give the dish its signature red color, but are not necessarily easy to procure in their whole form.  Ground kashmir chilli powder can be found in certain Desi groceries, however, "real" rogan josh is supposed to have the dried whole mirchi.  Paprika is also a common substitute in Indian restaurants due to its color and mild flavor.