Today is a good day. My third-year med exams are over! I am FREE. After spending 9 to 10 in the library daily for three months, I am free. And how everything has changed while I have been tucked away into my little lectern desk. Winter coats to light summer sweaters, doc marterns to sandals and thongs, 100 denier tights to legs all lathered up with sunblock. The sun is out! 

I remember my first summer in this country. It seemed like England had transformed, almost overnight, from dreary weather and doubled-up scarves to cloudless skies and hot air balloons. Summer feels like home (minus the suffocating humidity), and it makes me happy. 

What also makes me happy: This American goulash. 

Hungarian goulash and American goulash, mind you, are very different. Very. The former consists of beef stewed in peppers and paprika, while the latter is macaroni and tomatoes. How they could possibly still share the same name, is beyond me. 

So this version is the American kind. Macaroni is fun! It's a one-pot wonder perfect for busy Mondays, packed lunches and, hey, summery picnics.

American Goulash

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy mince, soaked in 1 cup water for 10 minutes, excess water drained

1 white onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika 

1 bay leaf

5-6 chopped basil leaves

1 3/4 cups veggie broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cans crushed tomatoes 

1/2 cup of corn, pre-cooked

1 1/4 cup uncooked macaroni

salt to taste

Method:

Soak the soy mince and drain after 10 minutes. In a large saucepan, fry the onion and garlic until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add in the soy mince and stir well. Next, add the herbs, spices, bay leaf, basil, broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, and sauce. Bring this to a boil and simmer 3-5 minutes. Add in the macaroni and let this boil for 10-12 minutes, adding a little more water if you prefer it a little more saucey. Serve sprinkled with a peanut sprinkle, which you can find here, substituting the cashews for peanuts.