Hungarian chicken paprika with nokedli noodles (spaetzle) – Paprikás csirke nokedlivel

• In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in vegetable oil or pork lard over low heat, stirring frequently, until translucent. Do not let them burn. Salt lightly to help tenderize them. The onions should be cut into very, very small pieces. This is essential in order to achieve the “stew consistency”. Add a small amount of water, if necessary, to keep them from sticking to the pan.
• Remove the pot from the heat, add the sweet Hungarian paprika, stir. Add the tomatoes, the sweet yellow pepper and stir again. Do not burn the paprika, or it will become bitter.
• Add the chicken legs and thighs, salt to taste. Add some water, make sure that the bottom of the pan is wet so the paprika does not burn. Be careful not to add too much water! The meat contains water that comes out during the cooking process. If you add too much water it will lose the stew consistency.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the meat is tender. This can take up to 50-70 minutes. Stir occasionally. If it is starts to stick to the pan, add a bit more water. If it is soupy, cook it with the lid off.
• The dish is done when the meat easily falls off the bone. Add 2 tablespoons of sour cream, stir gently (do not break the meat) and simmer over low heat for a few more minutes.

The Hungarian chicken paprika is always served with nokedli noodles, also called galuska (similar to German spaetzle.)

• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Beat the eggs, add 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of waterr and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything together to make a soft, sticky dough. You may not need all the flour, or you may need more. Stop adding flour when you get an elastic moist dough.
• Place a nokedli grater (spaetzle maker) over the pot of boiling water. (You can also use a simple cheese grater or large hole pasta strainer). Lay a portion of the dough on the grater and move it back and forth over the grater using a spatula or wooden spoon to push through small egg noodle bits that drop into the boiling water. When the noodles float to the top, cook about 1minute and drain them.

  If it is difficult to find a greater, you can use a knife or spoon to make your noodles. Put some of the dough on a cutting board and, using the spoon or the back of a knife, cut off a 1- by-1/4-inch piece of dough and slide it into the boiling water.

Cucumber salad

• Peel the cucumbers and, using a mandolin slicer, slice both cucumbers as thinly as possible into a bowl. Add the salt and mix the cucumbers slices to lightly and evenly coat them. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out the water from the cucumbers.
• Take large handfuls of cucumbers and, with your hands clenched, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and place the balls of squeezed cucumbers in a bowl. Discard the liquid.
• In a cup, combine the sugar, the vinegar, the minced garlic and the water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add this mixture to the squeezed cucumbers and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped garlic, sprinkle with paprika powder and ground black pepper.
• The vinaigrette is so light and refreshing, that you will be tempted to drink it after you eat the cucumber salad. Enjoy!