Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 gminced pork
- 1onion, finely grated
- 1egg
- 3 tablespoonsplain flour
- 100 mlmilk
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
- 1/2 teaspoonground allspice, optional
To poach
- 1 litrelight stock or water
- 1 teaspoonsalt
Curry sauce
- 50 gbutter
- 50 gplain flour
- 2 tablespoonsmild curry powder
- 1onion, finely chopped
- 1leek, finely sliced
- 1apple, peeled and grated, optional
- 600 mlof the poaching stock
- 150 mldouble cream
- salt and pepper
To serve
- boiled white rice
- mango chutney
- chopped parsley
Directions
- Grate the onion rather than chopping it. Put the mince in a large bowl. Add the grated onion and its juice. Add the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Add the allspice if you are using it. Beat it in after each addition. Beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon.
- Work it for a full three minutes. It should become smooth, pale and sticky. Cover it and chill it for twenty minutes. Cold mixture is far easier to shape.
- Bring the stock to a bare simmer in a wide pan. Never let the stock boil hard. Dip a spoon in the hot stock first. Scoop a rounded spoonful of the mixture. Shape it roughly with a second wet spoon. Work in batches of about eight. Poach them for about eight minutes. They should be firm and cooked right through. Lift them out with a slotted spoon. Set them aside and keep them warm.
- Strain the poaching stock and keep it. Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Add the chopped onion and leek. Cook them gently for eight minutes. They should soften without colouring. Add the curry powder to the pan. Fry it in the butter for one full minute.
- Cook it for two minutes, stirring constantly. Adding the stock needs some care. Add the hot poaching stock gradually. Add just one ladleful at a time. Whisk hard after each addition.
- Bring the pan to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about ten minutes. Add the grated apple if you are using it. Finishing the sauce is done off the boil. Stir in all of the double cream. Do not let it boil after the cream goes in. Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Add more curry powder if it tastes flat. It should be mild, creamy and gently spiced. Return the meatballs to the sauce. Warm them through for five minutes. Do not let the pan boil at all. Ladle the meatballs and sauce over it. Scatter chopped parsley over the top. Serve mango chutney on the side. It keeps two days refrigerated.
Technique
- Curry powder reached Danish kitchens as an imported convenience spice in the early twentieth century, which is when this dish appeared.
- Mango chutney alongside is standard in Denmark and is part of how the dish is served.
Substitutions
- Minced veal or a pork and veal mixture is used in many Danish households.
- Milk can replace the cream for a lighter sauce.
Variations
- Some households fry the meatballs rather than poaching them.
- A version with more vegetables in the sauce is common.
- Frikadeller, the fried Danish meatball, uses a very similar mixture.
History
A Danish weeknight dinner from the early twentieth century, when imported curry powder reached ordinary kitchens.
Frequently asked questions
What is Boller i karry?
Boller i karry is a main from Denmark: pork meatballs in a mild curry sauce over rice. A Danish weeknight dinner from the early twentieth century, when imported curry powder reached ordinary kitchens.
How long does Boller i karry take to make?
Boller i karry takes 30 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Boller i karry?
Yes, within limits. Minced veal or a pork and veal mixture is used in many Danish households. Milk can replace the cream for a lighter sauce.
What is the most important thing to get right in Boller i karry?
Grate the onion rather than chopping it. Put the mince in a large bowl. Add the grated onion and its juice. Add the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Add the allspice if you are using it. Beat it in after each addition. Beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon.
