Hungarian Goulash Soup with Homemade Dumplings

onions, finely chopped

garlic, crushed

sprigs thyme

bay leaf

dried chilli

carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

celery stalks, washed and roughly chopped

smoked paprika

beef cubes

small tin (70 g) tomato paste

good quality beef stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

sour cream to serve (optional)

self-raising flour

baking powder

butter

salt and pepper

cheddar cheese, grated

small hand full of chives, roughly chopped

plain yoghurt