Do you want to know what makes Hungarian cuisine different from other European cuisines? This difference lies in the huge variety of products used for cooking. In addition, some dishes combine both the first and the second course.
National cuisine of Hungary
Traditional dishes are made from beef, poultry, veal, pork, game, Balaton pike perch, Danube catfish, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and other vegetables. As for fish dishes, it is customary to serve them with a side dish in the form of noodles seasoned with bacon and cheese. In national cuisine, goulash plays an honorable role - this is a dish in the form of thick beef soup with potatoes and onions. Condiments and spices deserve special attention: in Hungary, paprika, black pepper, celery, thyme, cumin, marjoram are held in high esteem.
Popular Hungarian dishes:
- “Hungarian lecho” (a dish based on paprika, smoked sausage, onions and tomatoes);
- “Halasle” (Hungarian fish soup, which is prepared using river fish);
- "Langos" (yeast dough flatbread served with cheese, sour cream and garlic sauce);
- “Fezelik” (soup with zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, paprika, lentils and cabbage);
- “Chicken paprikash” (fried chicken pieces stewed with onions, paprika, chicken broth and garlic);
- “Retesh” (Hungarian strudel: filling in it is not only sweet, but also mushroom, fish or meat).
Where to taste the national cuisine?
Going to Hungary? Be sure to visit restaurants specializing in national cuisine. If you are interested in simple and homemade Hungarian dishes, then it is advisable to head to the traditional taverns called “charda” for them.
Vacationers in Budapest can look into “Paprika” (the institution specializes in Hungarian and Eastern European cuisine: here it is recommended to try beef with a creamy sauce, as well as to use free Wi-Fi) or “Gundel” (it is recommended to enjoy branded Gundel pancakes), and in Debrecen - in “Csokonai Sorozo” (you will be advised to try goulash, paprikash, halasle and other Hungarian dishes).
Cooking courses in Hungary
In Budapest, those who wish are invited to learn how to cook some Hungarian dishes in a culinary course at the “Chef parade Cooking School”, “Culinary Hungary Cooking Class” or “Chef parade Chocolate and Dessert School”. For those with a sweet tooth, they can attend a culinary workshop at the Szamos pastry shop.
Tourists, for sure, will be interested to attend in September (Budapest) at the Festival of Chocolate and Sweets (guests will be offered to enjoy factory and handmade sweets, as well as attend master classes and performances by musical groups), in November (Szolnok) - at the Festival of Goulash, in February (Budapest) - at the Fish Festival.
