Cut the beef into 3 cm pieces. Peel and chop the onions and garlic. Peel and slice the carrots. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers and cut into chunks. Chop the tomatoes and lightly crush the caraway seeds.

Heat the oil in a heavy casserole. Brown the beef in batches, then set aside. Add the onions and cook over a medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and caraway for 1 minute.

Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the sweet paprika and tomato purée. Immediately add the chopped tomatoes and 200 ml tap water so the paprika does not burn. Return the beef and any juices to the pan, add another 800 ml tap water, the salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer gently for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if needed to keep the beef covered. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into 2 cm chunks.

Add the potatoes, carrots and peppers. Continue to simmer, partly covered, for 35–45 minutes until the beef yields easily to a fork and the vegetables are tender. Add hot water to keep a generous, soup-like broth rather than reducing it to a dry stew; allow extra time if the beef is still firm.

Wash and chop the parsley. Scatter over the goulash and serve four generous bowls, each with a slice of bread.