Yor's family beef stew (goulash-style, with octopus hot dogs and a fried egg)

Cut the beef shanks into roughly chopped one inch cubes.

In a large Dutch oven over low heat, melt four ounces lard and cook the onions with a tablespoon kosher salt, stirring constantly, until they melt down and almost dissolve without browning, one to two hours.

Peel two Yukon gold potatoes and two large carrots and cut them in rolling cuts into chunks.

Add a third cup sweet paprika and three teaspoons hot paprika and cook until onions and paprika melt into a red paste.

Crush a tablespoon caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle; add with the dried herb and three tablespoons tomato paste and cook about a minute on low to cook out the rawness.

Add eight cups beef stock; simmer about three hours on low, almost fully covered, until tender.

Add the potatoes and carrots and cook about 30 minutes; added earlier they would break down and make the stew sludgy.

Add little hot dogs cut into octopus shapes and two tablespoons sour cream.

Fry an egg sunny side up in a small pan with a little butter; cover and turn off the heat at about 70% done so the top barely cooks through.

Serve in a big bowl with the hot dogs visible, topped with the fried egg.