Paprikas Martas

December 21, 2012

Paprikas Martas - kvalifood.com

Paprikas martas is a Hungarian paprika sauce, inseparable from the chicken it is cooked with. The chicken simmers in a paprika-onion base until tender, then the sauce is finished with a sour cream and flour mixture. The paprika is the star – use genuine Hungarian sweet paprika. The chicken is not browned; it cooks in the sauce, giving up its juices to build flavor.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and legs)
2 large onions (ca. 300 g), finely diced
2 tbsp lard (or neutral oil)
2.5 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 medium tomato (ca. 130 g), chopped
1 Hungarian wax pepper (or sweet banana pepper), sliced into rings
150 ml water
1.5 tsp salt
2 tbsp full-fat sour cream
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp heavy cream (or additional sour cream)

Directions

Heat the lard in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Add the onions and half the salt. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and translucent – about 10 minutes. Do not brown them.
Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the paprika until the onions are evenly coated. The residual heat blooms the paprika without burning it.
Add the tomato, sliced pepper, and water. Stir to combine.
Nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining salt over the chicken. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken – add a splash more water if needed.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 45-55 minutes until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone. Check occasionally and add small amounts of water if the sauce is drying out. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes to let the sauce reduce and thicken.
Transfer the chicken to a serving plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, flour, and cream until smooth.
Stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce. Cook on low heat 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil or the sour cream will curdle.
Return the chicken to the pot or pour the sauce over the plated chicken. Serve with nokedli (Hungarian spaetzle) or boiled potatoes.

Notes

Use genuine Hungarian sweet paprika (edes). The flavor difference is significant.
Lard gives the most traditional flavor. Neutral oil is fine as a substitute.
Do not brown the chicken. Simmering raw chicken in the sauce is the traditional method and gives the sauce more body.
The sauce should be stew-thick, not soupy. Manage liquid carefully throughout cooking.
A pinch of hot Hungarian paprika (eros) can be added for mild heat.
Traditional accompaniments: nokedli/galuska, boiled potatoes, and sweet-sour cucumber salad.