Prep your veg. Slice the onions and pepper, mince the garlic, and dice the potatoes into small cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster and thicken the sauce.

Brown the pork. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced pork with a pinch of salt. Cook 5–7 minutes, breaking it up, until lightly browned with some crispy bits. This builds flavor.

Soften the onions and pepper. Add onions and bell pepper to the pot. Cook 6–8 minutes until soft and sweet, stirring often and scraping up browned bits.

Bloom the spices. Stir in garlic, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and caraway seeds. Cook 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant. Don’t let the paprika burn or it will turn bitter.

Tomato paste time. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize it slightly. This deepens the color and adds umami.

Add potatoes and stock. Stir in the potatoes, bay leaf, and enough stock to cover everything by about 1 cm (half an inch). Season with salt and pepper.

Simmer gently. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 20–25 minutes, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks.

Adjust and enrich. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you like a creamier finish, stir in the sour cream off the heat. A tiny splash of lemon juice or vinegar can brighten the flavors at the end.

Serve and garnish. Ladle into bowls and top with a spoon of sour cream and fresh parsley. Serve with buttered noodles, rice, or crusty bread.