Beef Stew

Finely chop the onion, peel the garlic and chop or crush it. Cut the beef into approximately 2-3 cm cubes; you can leave the fattier parts on for flavor.

In a large, thick-bottomed pot, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring constantly, until translucent and then light golden brown.

Remove the pot from the heat, let it cool slightly, then sprinkle in the ground paprika. Stir quickly to prevent burning, and immediately pour in 50-100 ml of water to create a paprika base.

Pop the pot back on the stove, add the beef, and stir-fry over high heat until the meat turns white on all sides and releases a little juice.

Add the minced garlic, caraway seeds, bay leaf, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir it up, then add the diced tomatoes and sliced green peppers.

Pour in enough water to just cover the meat (about 300-400 ml), bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally.

During cooking, if the sauce gets too thick, add a little water, but make sure it ends up thick and juicy, not soupy. Cook the meat for about 1.5-2 hours, until it's completely tender.

In the last 20-30 minutes of cooking, stir more frequently, taste, and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the bay leaf at the end.

When the meat is super tender, and the gravy is thick, reddish, and glistening with oil, take it off the heat. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together. Dreamy, right? Kis Kukta thinks so!

Serve hot with boiled potatoes or homemade dumplings and pickles (like fermented cucumbers or gherkins). Seriously, you've GOT to try this! With Kukta AI, every meal is a masterpiece.