Wonderful Norwegian Food called Fiskeboller

These "fishballs" are like a fish version of meatballs: creamy, silky and soft fishcakes that taste so delicious (not at all fishy!) that they must be a homecooking classic in Norway! They are very healthy too (the product itself consists only of cod, haddock, milk, potato starch, salt and spices and is conserved in fish broth). I bet Norwegian children love this food.

I have a habit that some may find odd. Whenever I'm visiting a foreign country I want to go to a supermarket and investigate what sort of products they sell there. That tells me a great deal about the people living in that specific area: what kind of foods they eat and cook, how they live their everyday life etc. When I see an interesting thing and have a chance to either eat or cook it during the trip or to take it with me back home, I'll buy it. I'm curious if anyone else does the same. These "fishballs" came into my knowledge that way.

Last year we visited Norway by car so it was easy to take lots of products with us back to Finland (especially if they didn't need to be refridgerated). One thing I found very interesting were fiskeboller. I first noticed them on canned foods section (as they can be easily transported home) in Rema (a supermarket chain in Norway). There were at least big metal cans, at least from three different brands from which I deduced that this food must be something very typical Norwegian. Later I discovered that they sold these fiskeboller also in cold foods sections (I'd guess those are maybe better quality or closer to homemade ones, but since our cold storage capacity was limited we didn't have a chance to try them).

One Sunday my mind was completely void of any ideas what to cook for dinner I found two big cans from my cupboard. The both cans had a recipe printed to the can and the recipe seemed quite easy (with my knowledge of Norwegian which bases mostly to my knowledge of Swedish). I only needed some verification if 2-3 ss means 2-3 tablespoons (as opposed to teaspoons). The recipe suggested serving the fishballs with white sauce, cooked potatoes and carrots. We had everything but the potatoes. Instead we had instant mashed potatoes, so we went with that. I was so surprized how delicious the meal and especially the sauce was (one adds the liquid from the can as a sauce base). The fishballs were also so delicious: soft and creamy with only a bland taste of fish. And it was so easy to make: it takes only about 15 minutes to prepare the sauce and warm up the fishballs. I wonder if I could buy them somewhere from Finland too. (One could of course make them from scratch but then they wouldn't be so effortless anymore.)

So if you are able to find these "fishballs" somewhere, please try this delicious recipe. (And if you found them in Finland please tip me :)

They are sold for instance in a can looking like this in case you are interested in finding them.

The first impression might be a bit scary >_<

Fiskeboller i karrisaus - Norwegian fishcakes in curry sauce
Author: Tuulia / Kitchenfoxtales     Preparation Time: 5 min     Cooking time: 10 min
Servings: 4     Calories per serving*: 210 kcal

Creamy, silky and soft "fishballs" in a mildly spicy curry sauce must be the fish equivalent to meatballs! They are very easy to make if you manage to find these "fishballs". (The secret of the tasty sauce is the broth in the can.)

Ingredients:

• 1 can (800 g) Norwegian fiskeboller (equals 550 g "fishballs")
Curry sauce
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 Tbsp wheat flour
• fish broth from the can (about 250 ml)
• 200-400 ml milk
• (salt, pepper)
• Optional: parsley, dill, chives or curry powder

Instructions:

1. (If you want to serve the dish traditionally with potatoes and carrots, start by cooking them separately.)
2. The sauce: Melt the butter in a pot big enough (it should fit all the fishballs and the resulting sauce). Add the curry and turmeric to the melted butter and let them cook until fragrant (do not let them burn).
3. Add the wheat flour and stir until even. Let it slightly cook but not to brown.
4. Start by adding fish broth from the can and quickly whisk even so that no lumps remains. Add 200 ml milk and bring to a slight boil, stirring all the time until the sauce thickens (it will take only a few minutes). if the sauce gets too thick, add more milk.
5. (Season with salt and pepper if needed.)
6. Add the "fishballs" to the hot sauce, bring the sauce to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Leave for 5 minutes for the "fishballs" to warm up.
7. Serve with cooked or mashed potatoes and cooked carrots. You can let everyone season their dish with extra curry powder or you can finish the dishes with chopped parsley, dill or chives.

Adapted from Vesteraalens.
*Nutritional information is based on average values and doesn't include potatoes or carrots.

Fiskeboller i karrisaus - Norjalaiset kalapullat currykastikkeessa
Tekijä: Tuulia / Kitchenfoxtales     Valmisteluaika: 5 min    Kypsennysaika: 10 min
Annokset: 4    Energiasisältö per annos*: 210 kcal

Silkinpehmeät kalapullat miedon mausteisessa currykastikkeessa on kuin norjalaisversio ikonisista lihapullista. Tämä ruoka on erittäin helppo tehdä, jos vain löydät näitä kalapullia (kastikkeen salaisuus on se liemi, johon pyörykät on säilötty).

Ainekset:

• 1 prk (800 g) norjalaisia fiskeboller (purkissa on 550 g kalapyöryköitä)
Currykastike
• 3 rkl voita
• 1 rkl curryjauhetta
• 1 tl jauhettua kurkumaa
• 3 rkl vehnäjauhoa
• kalaliemi purkista (n. 2,5 dl)
• 2-4 dl maitoa
• (suolaa, pippuria)
• (Päälle: vähän persiljaa, tilliä, ruohosipulia tai currya)

Valmistusohjeet:

1. (Jos haluat tarjota ruoan perinteisesti, aloita perunoiden ja viipaloitujen porkkanan keittämisellä (keitä ne siis erikseen).
2. Kastike: Sulata voi tarpeeksi isossa kattilassa (johon mahtuu kastikkeen lisäksi myös kalapullat). Lisää curryjauhe ja kurkuma ja kuullota niitä hetki (älä anna niiden palaa).
3. Lisää vehnäjauho ja sekoita rasva-jauhoseos tasaiseksi. Anna sen kypsyä hetki mutta älä anna sen ruskistua.
4. Lisää tölkissä oleva kalaliemi rasvaseokseen ja vispaa kastike nopeasti tasaiseksi. Lisää sitten 2 dl maitoa ja lämmitä kastiketta koko ajan sekoittaen, kunnes se alkaa kiehua. Alenna lämpöä ja jatka sekoittamista, kunnes kastike sakenee (tähän menee muutama minuutti. Älä keitä liian pitkään, koska kastike muuttuu silloin lopulta vetiseksi). (Jos kastikkeesta tulee liian paksua, lisää maitoa.)
5. (Mausta tarvittaessa suolalla ja pippurilla.)
6. Lisää kalapullat kuumaan kastikkeeseen ja kiehauta kastike ja ota sitten pois lämmöltä. Jätä kastike hautumaan kannen alle noin 5 minuutiksi, niin että kalapullat lämpenevät.
7. Tarjoa keitettyjen perunoiden tai muusin ja keitettyjen porkkanoiden kanssa. Jokainen voi halutessaan sirotella oman annoksensa päälle vielä curryjauhetta. Voit myös koristella annokset hakatulla persiljalla, tillillä tai ruohosipulilla.

Lähde: Vesteraalens
*Energiasisältö perustuu keskimääräisiin arvoihin, eikä sisällä lisäkkeitä.

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