Here it is finally, the recipe that I learnt from Mdm Martina (a beautiful German lady who inherited this recipe from her grandmother) during a cooking class 5 years ago.

I couldn't bring myself to buy a Le Creuset (they call it the French Oven) though it is a dream Dutch Oven for me...I bought one from Ikea for SGD89. It works pretty well so I'm happy that I nearly killed myself lugging it home. It yields a better result than my Tefal Pressure Cooker (for many reasons which are a little too long to explain). Whilst the Ikea Dutch Oven is not as aesthetically pleasing as my Tefal Tajine (Mosaic Range), it has a larger capacity and is thus more suitable for cooking a stew.

You can read a short description about Tefal's Mosaic series here if you're a kitchen equipment enthusiast (I'm one too!).

Hungarian Goulash – serves 4 Ingredients:

800g Beef shin (cut into chunky cubes, seasoned with a little salt & pepper)
600g White Onions (sliced into rings)
1 pc Red Pepper (cut into small cubes)
3 pcs Tomatoes (cut into large cubes)
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Paprika
1 clove Garlic (chopped finely)
1 tsp Marjoram
¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Flour
1 litre Beef broth
1 pc Lemon Peel (from half a lemon)
Some Tabasco

Method:

1. Wash the meat, cut into cubes and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the onions in half and then thin rings.
3. Heat the oil and put the onions in the oil until they are glassy. Add the meat cubes and let it roast.
4. Mix the paprika, pepper pod, garlic, marjoram, cumin and tomato pulp. Add to the meat.
5. Roast at high heat. Add the flour, stir well and then the broth.
6. Add the tomatoes and the red pepper.
7. Cover the pot and let the meat braise for 1 ½ hours on a low flame.
8. Season the goulash with paprika, Tabasco, lemon skin and salt & pepper.
9. Tastes better the next day. Add some sour cream for a creamier flavour.

Happy cooking!