MUM's CSIRKE PAPRIKAS. (Chicken Paprika) - recipe

Paprikas is pronounced - 'cheerke paap-ree-kysh'

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter or *pork lard 
• 6-8 chicken pieces, *bone-in and skin-on
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tomatoes, very finely diced (Roma are good)
• 1 Hungarian bell pepper, diced (optional)
• 3-4 tablespoons of quality, genuine imported sweet Hungarian paprika. (this is the secret ingredient)
• 2 cups chicken broth (*homemade preferably - just boil chicken wings and bones for hours with whole onion, salt and peppercorn)
• 1 and half teaspoons sea salt
• half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup full fat sour cream , room temperature (full fat prevents lumpy cream)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• *traditionally used for the best flavour

METHOD :

• Heat the lard in a heavy pot and brown the chicken all over 
• Let the chicken rest on a plate.  In the same oil, add the onions and fry until golden brown.  
• Add tomatoes, garlic and pepper and fry another 2-3 minutes.  
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt and pepper (you must remove the pot from heat otherwise the paprika goes bitter)
• Return the chicken to the pot and place it back over the heat.  
• Pour in the chicken broth. The chicken should be mostly covered. Bring it to a boil. 
• Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate.
• In a small bowl, stir the flour into the sour cream/cream mixture to form a smooth paste. Stir the cream mixture into the liquid in the pot, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. 
• Simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thickened - keep stirring. 
• Add salt and pepper to taste. 
• Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer to heat through.

Serve the chicken paprikash with Hungarian nokedli, steamed rice, pasta shells, rigatoni or mashed potato.

Jó étvágyat!

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a surprise winter flowering

On a walk across the paddock yesterday I found this plant flowering by the creek.  and today it looked like this !

so pretty. This is called fatsia Japonica and is best suited to outdoor growth.  I purchased one last year and have it indoors - it grew so well that i had extras come up in the pot and this one is outdoors growing beautifully by the creek.  The flowers were such a nice surprise - the one indoors is leafy and large-ish but nothing like this one outdoors.

Things I learned from Google today. The name. fatsia Japonica.

• It is better suited outdoors than indoors - i am now planning where to plant the indoor one once we get into spring.
• The location i put the one outdoors is perfect for it - shady with some sun.
• it flowers in autumn (although we are winter here just now) and berries will follow !  great. so good for the birds.
• it will grow 6-10 feet both in height and width!  how fabulous and apparently the new shoots may get eaten but the older ones are not tasty for the critters.  we shall see. i do have it currently fenced waiting for it to expand before i test that theory.
• its also known as the paper plant of finger plant.
• pruning encourages dense growth

very happy to have this one in the paddock.  might plant the indoor one outside the front of the house. 

A recent visit to The Bridge Gallery in Burnie, Tasmania

An article about this awe-inspiring, wonderful exhibition has gone up on Blackfishartstasmania studio blog.  We travelled to Burnie to pick up the Oistre book which was a finalist in the Burnie Print Prize 2025. 

A write up about our experience of this exhibition along with links to the artworks and artist statements.  There are 21, i think, artist books where each artist responds to each Afghan womans experience of living in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021. i have posted a few images taken on our visit.