Danish Food Culture - Recipes - "Boller i Karry" - Danish Pork Meatballs in Curry<

Boller I Karry - Danish Meatballs in mild Curry - is a traditional Danish pork recipe and everyday favourite dish that has been prepared and served for generations of Danes for over 150 years. The dish was invented around 1840 - when the first mix of curry powder and species was imported and introduced in Denmark in 1837. When the recipes and dish had become common - it was categorized as being a very exotic serving with rice - as the Danes were not used to spicy food in the middle of the 19th century. The secret behind the preparation is - that the dish only must have a slight taste of mild curry - and must not in any way be spicy hot like dishes from the Far East - but just have a smooth and delightful curry flavour that pleases the Scandinavian food culture and taste.

"Boller i Karry" - Pork Meatballs in (mild) Curry

Curry Powder in Denmark - 1837

Curry powder was first introduced to the Danes in 1837 - and was used to prepare the first exotic dish with meatballs and rice called "Boller i Karry". At first - the dish was an exclusive serving in restaurants - and later became very popular as an everyday favourite - as well as a delicious pork recipe in the Danish kitchen for over 150 years ago..

"Boller i Karry"
(Pork Meatballs in mild Curry)

The dish is over 150 years old and has been a traditional everyday meal for generations of Danes that just want to taste the curry flavour wit the pork meatballs and rice. Curry was first imported to Denmark in 1837 - and the dish was served about 1840. Here is a very old recipes from the 19th century that is very simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

Meatballs
300 g
1
1
1 dl
4 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon
1½ teaspoon

Mild Curry Sauce
20 g
1/2
3 teaspoon
2-3 tablespoons
6 dl

3-4 teaspoons

Rice
2 dl

Ground pork
Big onion
Egg
Milk
Flour
Salt
Pepper (according to taste)
Water

Butter
Onion
Mild Curry
Flour
Boiling water for meatballs

Whipping cream or yogurt

Long-grain white rice

"Boller i Karry" & Mashed Potatoes

As the Danes eat tremendous many potatoes to nearly every meal - then the traditional Rice is replaces with mashed potatoes - as a variation of the popular and national “Bolly i Karry” dish. (Pork Meatballs in Curry)

Rice in Denmark - from the 16th century

Rice was imported into Denmark at the beginning of the 16th century - where this oriental crop became quite popular in Danish food making - and up to the 19th century - rice was an important supplement that replaced the Danes beloved potatoes in some every day dishes.

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"Boller i Karry" - A everyday Danish pork recipe
(Pork Meatballs in mild Curry)

Mixing the ingredients well
- Mix the meatball ingredients together very well - and let the minced meat mixture cool in the fridge for an hour.

Boil water
- Then boil water in a selected saucepan adding a bit of butter.

Forming the meatballs
- Form the meatballs into round balls with a tablespoon - and dip the spoon regularly in the boiling water to shape the round meat balls in the palm of your hand.

Cooking the meatballs
- Then cook the raw meatballs in boiling water for about 10-12 minutes. Later drain them for water - but keep some of the meat ball water and stock for the curry sauce.

Mild curry sauce
- For the curry sauce - melt the butter in a pan and add flour - then whip it constantly together into a smooth dough. After that - mix the mild curry powder and onion together in the sauce. Add the hot stock. Boil the sauce together for some minutes while stirring. Add the cream or yogurt.

Season the curry sauce - The secret!
- Season to taste with salt - pepper - and the dish must not be spicy hot. That is the secret of the dish - as it must leave the meal with a smooth and mild curry flavour - that pleases the Scandinavian food culture and taste.

Meatballs and mild curry sauce
- Put the meatballs in the mild curry sauce and lat them rest - while they soak up the curry sauce for at least 1 hour to flavour the entire dish.

Fluffy White Rice
- Fill the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid with 2dl long-grain white rice - after rinsing the rice in cold water. Then top up with 3 times as much water over the amount of rice. Let the water boil over the rice for 5-10 minutes - then let the rice rest for at least 45 minutes on lowest heat - until the rice has soaked up all the water and the rice is totally dried. If preferred - then ad a bit of butter to the fluffy rice - which adds a rich flavour to the rice.

Sautéing the rice in butter for a few minutes before cooking the rice - adds an extra taste to the rice.

Final "Boller i karry" dish
Then heat up the dish and serve with rice - and decorate with cut chives.

Ready-made "Boller i Karry"
You can also buy ready-made "Boller i Karry" in supermarkets and grocery stores.

See Eating and traditional Danish food culture

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Velbekomme! - (Means - Enjoy your meal in Danish!)