Chicken Paprikash

I was looking forward to Chicken Paprikash here based on the reputation. The reality was disappointing. The richly paprika-spiced character that makes this dish special was muted — either from shortcuts with lard or from scaling up production at the expense of quality. Hungarian cuisine was shaped …

I've now had Chicken Paprikash prepared traditionally and in a modern interpretation. Both are interesting. The traditional version emphasises lard in the way Hungarian cuisine was shaped by nomadic Magyar traditions mixed with Ottoman and Habsburg influences. The deeply flavourful character is more…

I ate Chicken Paprikash at three different restaurants in the same week to compare. The results were illuminating. The use of lard varied significantly — only one got it right. The creamy and savoury profile should be consistent but interpretation differs widely. paprika only entered Hungarian cook…