I. Berbécstokány (mutton) Cut leg of mutton into little tokány pieces and sear in a little lard. Then sprinkle with plenty of black pepper and cook, covered, over low heat till the meat is almost soft. If the mutton is old, a little water will have to be added. Measure onions equal to half the weight of the meat and slice thin. In the last half hour, mix onions with meat and cook together until the stew is done.

II. For a Transylvanian version, add some summer savory and just before serving mix in cottage-fried potatoes. Sour cream is optional.

III. Mushroom and beef tokány is made with summer savory and red wine.

IV. Gambrinus tokány is a basic tokány with beer added.

V. Debrecen beef tokány has onion and garlic fried with smoked bacon pieces. It is cooked with lecsó plus Debrecen sausage.

VI. Another category is the sour-cream tokány. Perhaps the most famous are the herány and the hétvezér (seven chieftains), which is made with beef, veal, pork, fried onions or smoked bacon, lecsó and sour cream.

VII. One of the most interesting versions of tokány is the ancient dish of sour vetrece (savanyú vetrece), which was already mentioned as a part of the dinners of King Matthias in the fifteenth century. In this type of ragout, beef is cooked with smoked bacon, garlic and black pepper; later bay leaves, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and grated lemon rind are added, and finally sour cream. The only flavors lost over the centuries are mace, ginger and saffron. In the dining rooms of the Transylvanian gentry, paper-thin slices of peeled lemon were served on top of this more sweet than sour dish.