Instructions: Succulent beef in a tomato sauce flavored with onion, green pepper and paprika is the basis for Hungarian goulash.

I recently tasted a wonderful goulash at the Russian Tea Room, the venerated New York City restaurant next to Carnegie Hall. It prompted me to make this quick version. I shortened the cooking process by using good quality, lean, deli roast beef and called it Mock Hungarian Goulash.

The key is good Hungarian paprika. Paprika is the Hungarian name for both sweet pepper and the powder made from it. Ordinary paprika comes in varying degrees of flavor, from pungent to virtually tasteless. True Hungarian paprika may be hot or mild and is sold in most supermarkets.

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HELPFUL HINTS

o Roasted chicken can be substituted for beef.

o To prevent the roast beef from overcooking in the sauce, buy it rare.

o Baby bellos (small portobello mushrooms) already sliced are now available in the markets. They work well in this recipe.

COUNTDOWN

o Place water for noodles on to boil.

o Make goulash.

o Boil pasta.

SHOPPING LIST

o To buy: 1 small package portobello mushrooms, 2 medium tomatoes, 1 small package frozen chopped onion, 1 small package frozen chopped green pepper, 1 container Hungarian paprika, 1 small bottle caraway seeds, 1 small bottle low-fat pasta sauce, 1/2 pound lean deli roast beef, 1 small carton reduced-fat sour cream, 1/2 pound egg noodles.

o Staples: Olive oil, salt, black peppercorns.

Linda Gassenheimers latest book is Low-Carb Meals in Minutes. Write to her

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