AUTHENTIC HUNGARIAN BEEF GOULASH (MARHAPÖRKÖLT)

Steps:

• Cut beef into bite-sized 1" cubes. Brown meat over high heat in lard or oil. Remove. Add diced onions and peppers. Fry until onions are translucent. Add garlic and ground caraway seeds, if using, and fry for two minutes. Turn down heat to low, add paprika (be careful not to burn) and fry in oil for 1 minute, until evenly distributed. Add browned meat (and any reserved juices), and half cup water to prevent burning. Set heat to lowest setting, cover, and let simmer for two hours or until tender. The meat will release its juices and make its own gravy as it cooks down. If the resulting gravy is not thick enough, add up to 1 tablespoon tomato paste to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with spaetzle, egg noodles, or rice. Garnish with additional wax/banana pepper rings. Visual guide here (my words and pictures:) http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=17667