Lecsó

Before I write down this week’s recipe, I would like to thank you for all the positive comments that I have received in the past week. You are the best audience ever!

And now I would like to share the easiest recipe in the world with you, called Lecsó. Those who don’t have the bravery to cook out last week’s dish, stuffed cabbage, this recipe will beg you to try it out. I chose this dish: 1. because it’s really simple to prepare 2. I know that some of my readers are vegetarian. This recipe will be appealing for them, too.

Ingredients

50 dkg (17,64 oz) yellow pepper (TV paprika)

50 dkg (17,64 oz) tomato (paradicsom)

20 dkg (7,05 oz) rice (rizs)

1 onion (hagyma)

a little cooking oil (étolaj)

salt (só)

How to become master of the Hungarian kitchen #2

First, wash your amazing, delicious tomatoes, and cut the pepper into little pieces. Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 1-2 minutes, and after that pull down the peel. Now you can cut them into pieces. Personally, I never peel the tomatoes, because it also gives a good taste and lot of vitamin to your lecsó. What I do is that I don't eat them. My parents, however, do eat them and they would tell me: "Yeah, you are choosey again! Those peels don't bite off your tongue!"

The next step is to cut the onion(s) into pieces, add the pepper to it, and steam them a little on the oil for a few minutes. We don't hurry anywhere, so just slow down and take your time. If you want, put a little water in the frying pan, so your onion(s) won't burn. That would give a terrible taste to your lecsó.

Add the tomatoes to the onion and the pepper. Salt it as you like. Usually I don't put too much salt in it. You can salt it after the lecsó is ready. Now cover the frying pan with a topper and let the lecsó steam.

During this process cook your rice. I never use rice for my lecsó. What I put into it is one or two scrambled eggs. I truly believe that it's better with egg, but it depends on your personal taste.

When the tomato almost comes apart, put 4dl (13,53 oz) water (víz) to the frying pan and add the rice (or if you are just like me, add the scrambled eggs). Stir them and now your lecsó is ready. Enjoy it with a slice of bread. Jó étvágyat! (Enjoy your meal!) 

Notes from the writer

No special instruction is needed to the place of the ingredients. You won't have a problem to find them

I would like to an advice you, if you are not a vegetarian, to cut a little bacon or Hungarian sausage (kolbász) into your lecsó, because they make it tastier. This is my personal experience. When I was in the U.S. a few years ago, my uncle and me always used bacon (szalonna). The vegetables aren't as relish as the Hungarian vegetables. Therefore, the taste is not the same, so try to make it special by using the above mentioned ingredients. 

Coming soon...

Next week I'll show you the probably most famous Hungarian dish: the gulash (gulyás). Until then, check this video: 

       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X_JKz8hSN0