Rántásos

Rántásos is a Hungarian culinary term used to describe dishes that use rántás as a thickening base. Rántás, or roux in English, is made by cooking flour in fat (often oil, lard, or butter) until it reaches a desired color, then used to thicken soups, sauces, and stews. A rántásos dish typically has a smooth, cohesive sauce and a fuller body.

Etymology and meaning: The term rántás derives from the Hungarian word rántani, meaning to toss or stir, but in cooking it denotes the flour-fat mixture. Rántásos indicates the presence of such a roux as part of the dish, distinguishing it from dishes thickened by other methods such as cream, eggs, or reduction. The color variation is white rántás, cooked briefly, and barna rántás (brown roux), cooked longer to develop nutty flavors.

Preparation: To prepare, heat the fat in a pan, add flour, and stir constantly; for white rántás cook a short time, for barna longer until golden to nutty. Then gradually whisk into hot liquid (stock, water, tomato, milk) to achieve the desired consistency. Additional seasonings, paprika, onions, and garlic can be added; sometimes onions are sautéed first, then flour is added to form the base. In paprika-based dishes, the rántás is mixed in before or after adding paprika depending on the recipe.

Usage and significance: Rántásos bases are central to many Hungarian dishes such as paprikás sauces, gulyás, pörkölt, and various soups. The method is a fundamental technique in Hungarian home cooking and professional kitchens alike.