The 5 most disgusting Hungarian dishes according to foreigners
Hungarians usually do not brag about their most disgusting dishes – rather, we prefer to brag about famous Hungarian dishes that are loved everywhere. This article is rather unconventional in this regard: it is about 5 Hungarian dishes that foreigners find the most disgusting. Continue reading to learn about some strange dishes!
There are some honest videos and articles online about what foreigners find particularly repulsive. Noizz.hu has compiled the most common, top-ranked disgusting Hungarian dishes.
1. Pacalpörkölt – Tripe stew
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Tripe soup, tripe stew or tripe chorba is a soup or stew made with tripe (cow or lamb/mutton stomach). It is widely considered to be a hangover remedy, just like our grandmas’ broth. Some people think it looks particularly disgusting, and it is even more disgusting to think that it is made from a washed-out stomach. Of course, some people love it. Most likely, there are only extreme ways of looking at a tripe stew.
2. Szalontüdő/Savanyú tüdő – Sour lungs
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Szalontüdő, also known as sour lungs (savanyú tüdő), is a dish made using the heart and lungs of a pig. It can also be made from beef or lamb stock. It is not just the raw material that makes foreigners shudder, but the colour and texture. Let us face it, this greyish, strange-tasting dish is not an everyday food for us Hungarians either.
- Read also: Stereotypes that characterise Hungarians
3. Hagymás vér – Blood with onions
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It is one of the unmissable dishes of pig slaughters, but also one that divides even us, Hungarians. This Hungarian dish with onions is similar to liver, but many people are nonetheless disgusted by it. It is also called roasted blood and made with onions.
4. Kocsonya – Aspic
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Aspic or meat jelly is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. The sight of the gently quivering jelly, with its nail, ear, cartilage and skin fragments, horrifies many foreigners – and often even us Hungarians! They do eat aspic elsewhere, but our Hungarian version is admittedly a bit bizarre.
5. Édes tészták – Sweet pastas
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For most foreigners, putting jam and/or powdered sugar on a pasta dish is simply unthinkable. We Hungarians eat many kinds of sweet pasta: poppy seed pasta, walnut pasta, pasta with semolina and apricot jam, just to mention a few. One of these probably will not make a foreigner a huge fan of Hungarian cuisine – but there are still numerous Hungarian dishes that they would love for sure!
Read alsoFunny don’ts when you meet a Hungarian for the first time
Source: noizz.hu, Instagram, Wikipedia
12 Comments
Pasta Payasam, also known as Pasta Kheer, usually made with macaroni is also a sweet dish (it uses raisins and 200g of sugar per 200g of dry pasta).This dish dates back to approximately 300 BC. Thus sweet pasta is not exclusive to Hungary. The population of India is about 1.38 billion and Indian restaurants worldwide often have Payasam/Kheer on the menu. Thus more foreigners eat sweet pasta than Hungarians do and putting sugar on pasta is far from unthinkable.
Yuck.
Spent 12 days in a Public Hospital recently in central Budapest.
Paid Cash for the surgury & “other” expenses.
No air conditioning and “other” honestly – 3rd World facilities.
The food, and live in Budapest, Hungary – for past (4) four years – Yuck.
Certainly – will look into Private Health coverage.
Surely – got to be BETTER food ///
I agree with “Appalled”. Same thing happened to me!
It’s unbelievable that in 2022 a public hospital in the European Union looks worst than a hospital in a 3rd world country. I couldn’t eat anything they gave me for 2 weeks. Who makes this “food”?
The facilities are awful, half the toilets don’t work at all and looks disgusting (missing ceramic tiles everywhere). About the medical care I don’t have anything good to say, I guess all the good Doctors and nurses moved to Germany and other western EU countries where they are being paid much better and there is no Orban.
That’s what happens when you spend all your money on building new football stadiums…nothing is left for more important things.
@Appalled and Cigány: You are both correct. I have had two experiences of hospitals in Budapest. The first shock was visiting my (now deceased) aunt who was in the Szent István in the 19th. What a dump. She was a room with another lady, a big window facing south and not even a curtain or blind so it was like a furnace. The daily lunch was a slab of some sort of solid pink meat paste and a (one) lettuce leaf, so my family went in to feed her each day. Tiles missing everywhere, no signage, no security – anyone could wonder in off the street to any ward. Disgusting. Next up, I had a blood test done at the János Kórház, District 2 in winter (my private doctor also works there and she asked me to go there for a specialist test). Patients were wandering around the grounds in their bed clothes ie pyjamas) in the cold asking how to get to a food shop, so one can only imagine what goes on there. Again, no reception or security at the outpatient building I went to.Having lived in London for most of my life it was a real shock to see how primitive these hospitals are. A real disgrace.
Hungarians – in their MILLIONS voted Victor Orban back into office.
These examples of experiences in Public Hospitals – will deteriorate further – that AMOUNTS to the continuation of Services & Care.
The medical staff – Doctors – from all fields of medicine – the entire Medical profession – nurses of course, why would they after qualification, want to stay and work in the 3rd World standards of Hungarian Health Care Services & Hospitals.
Renumeration – appalling.
Career opportunities – extremely limited.
WHAT is NEEDED – by the Hungarian Government, under the Fidesz led Party leader & present Prime Minister of Hungary – Victor Orban – is FINANCILLY beyond the capabilities of Hungary possible evan with EU funding, if it was to exist, to bring Hospitals & Healty Care Public Services – up to standards that “resemble” those of the 21st century.
Hungary – you voted for this Government and Victor Orban.
@Vile, it seems that Hungarians are like turkeys voting for Christmas.
If those people that commented only negativity and hatred about my homeland please next time don’t visit.
Maybe better visiting countries like Somalia or Nigeria. Than You know what is 3.world countries.
Yes, Antonia, from the sound of their post grammar and style, I am guessing they are from a similarly poor (3rd world) country. Now, living under better circumstances, they think they are ‘entitled’ and enjoy trashing other poor nations. Instead of staying where they were born, doing something to improve their own homeland. Hungarians did not ask for the circumstances they live in, and deserve better. A wonderful country and people – who came very very far from communist times. At least they don’t bow to the oppressing and controlling EU regime. God bless them and wish them well.
I find it interesting that 1.5 million people from the Ukraine just waltzed into Hungary and are expected to care for all these people meanwhile Hungary could use some help financially to take care of all the humans running from thier countries . I say ,move on haters or start giving back to the only matriarch country willing to put up with bullcrap from low life’s using Hungary as a safety net . Lets see how many countries offer Hungary help . I was there when i was a kid and we travelled to a doctor . One should be greatful to have any help as Hungarians dont run to the doctor when they have a runny nose ,they go to thier gardens and eat real food . So instead of bitching go somewhere else that will put up with your whinning or at very least help . like good Hungarian does every day Orbin
or not , we hungarians give not take .
I agree with Antonia Banoczi and Adelle ! Our history is over 1000 years old and if you read about it you will learn we always had to fight for our country and freedom. And yes mistakes has been made by choosing leaders before and always hoped every time that he will be the right one , just like in other countries. God bless Hungary. Isten áld meg a Magyart’
Hungary – you in your MILLIONS in April 2022 – re-elected this “Dictatorial” – Victor Orban – Fidesz Party Government.
Have your EYES not been opened FURTHER – post April 2022 – the GROWING practice of the AGENDA – of the Victor Orban Government ???
Whats the Nadir – as a country we can DECEND to ???
REMEMBER – Hungary :
“When the Yoke is Broken,
the Burden is Removed.”
Hungary – you know – who the YOKE is.
As a foreign person who has lived in Hungary for 10 years I’d like to offer a different experience and opinion on healthcare. When I had to go to a Hospital here I had kidney stones when in Siófok, I was seen quickly, given pain relief and an ultrasound scan within 3 hours of arriving. I’ve had kidney stones before in the UK and the same treatment was comparable but took 36 hours.
On another occasion I had a horse riding accident when training my new horse in Pilisvörösvár. I didn’t go to a hospital, just the local clinic, where I received an X-ray and a tetanus shot in less than 1 hour. I don’t think I’ve ever received such quick and thorough treatment anywhere, ever in my life.
Maybe the buildings were a bit old but I didn’t notice because I needed emergency medical care and I got it, at a high level and quickly, for free. What else could anyone ask for? Food in hospitals is notoriously bad in most countries, people are not there for a 5 star dining experience.
I’d also like to mention that here in Hungary during the pandemic I was offered any vaccine I wanted for free before any of friends back in the UK was offered a vaccine of just the type they had.
Reading some of these comments I felt offended for Hungary. This is my home and I’ve been welcomed and cared for.
On the subject of the article, coming from a rural background in the UK, things like tripe and dishes made from blood are not unusual to me and I’m happy to eat anything offered to me in Hungary. Mostly the food is excellent here. I think some people are just far too sensitive and have a very narrow perspective of the world, so should probably stay at home.