BITTERBALLEN - A TOUCH OF DUTCH/BITTERBALLEN SENTUHAN BELANDA

In my last post we talked about internationally known Dutch snack called croquette. Today, we are going to experiment another Dutch snack called Bitterballen. Bitterballen, are a savory Dutch meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef (minced or chopped), beef broth also known as ragout.  These meat based snacks are found in almost every pub in Netherlands and  frequently served at parties and other festive occasions.  The Dutch usually serve them with mustard for dipping, and you might want to serve them with a variety of dips, including mustards, chutneys, and barbecue sauces.

By the name it sound scary and no one dare to eat. The truth is Bitterballen are not bitter at all. They were originally meant to be served with bitterje - a glass of Dutch jenever. Today Bitterballen are predominantly served in fast food chain outlet. It is still a popular snacks served in pub in Netherlands. I have never been to Netherland, niether do I ever tasted the authentic dutch Bitterballen however I did tasted almost the authentic version in Jakarta. The Indonesian inherited this snack from the Dutch and there's no doubt that Bitterballen are more known to the Indonesian than the Malaysian. You can find the Asian version of making Bitterballen in Indonesian Food Blog and their woman's magazine.

You may wonder what are the differences between Bitterballen and Croquette? Basically they are the same, they taste the same, the ingredients are the same and the method of preparing are also the same. The only thing that differentiate both are their shape, Bitterballen are round while Croquette are oblong.  

Making Bitterballen can be fun, like Croquette, you can use your creativity to improvise and make use any left over in your kitchen to this delicious food. You can use tuna, vegetables and seafood to make varieties of Bitterballen.

Typically, Bitterballen are served with a side of mayo and a side of mustard.  I love my Bitterballen with leftover Sambal Tumis or Asam Pedas, again it all depends on one's taste bud. The beauty of this recipe, you can improvise and let your creativity flow, there is no limit when it comes to creativity in making  Bitterballen it pushes the boundaries and encourages you to use what ever left over you have in your kitchen.  I have tried meat Bitterballen, Instant Noodles/Maggi, Rice Bitterballen, Shrimp Bitterballen and the recent Macaroni Bitterballen. I'm exploring putting vegetables such as spinach and cheese. That's the trick to encourage the kids to take up vegetables.

Since Bitterballen may not be a healthy option of food, you can balance it up with bread. It goes well with salad. Making Bitterballen can be tedious when come to the ball shaping and breading process, however smart cooking helps, prepare it in advance, freeze in the refrigerator and fry it when ever you want.

In Netherlands, Bitterballen are still hot selling food and I bet the sales shoot up during the recent World Cup Netherlands vc Spain. Anyway for those who have no chance to experience this little meatball in Holland,  you can do it yourself.  I have put down the recipe below, Bitterballen the Asian way, it's simple anyone can do it. Try it and I would also like to warn you that this snack can be contagious. Have a self control or else you will be addicted to it.

So let's roll your sleeve and check out the recipes.

************************************************************************************************

BEEF/CHICKEN/SEAFOOD BITTERBALLEN

INGREDIENTS

The Filling/Intinya

2 cup  minced beef/chicken/shrimp/1/2 cawan daging/ayam/udang cincang.

2 tbsp butter/ 2 sdb butter

1/2 minced onion/1/2 cawan bawang besar cincang
1/2 cup shredded carrot/1/2 cawan karot parut

1/2 cup shredded cheese/ 1/2 cawan keju parut

2 Tbl. unsalted butter/2 sdb butter

3 cloves of garlic, pounded/ 3 ulas bawang putih ditumbuk

1/2 inch ginger,pounded/1/2 inci halia ditumbuk

5 shallot pounded/5 ulas bawang merah ditumbuk
1 Tbl parsley, finely chopped/1 sdb daun pasli dicincang
1/2 tsp fennel powder/1/2 sdt serbuk jintan manis

1/2 tsp cumin powder/1/2 sdt serbut jintan putih 
Salt and pepper to taste/lada sulah dan garam secukup rasa

The Roux/Bahan Tepungnya

3 tbsp butter/3 sdb butter

5 tbsp four/5 sdb tepung gandum

1 cup stok or milk/ 1 cawan stok atau susu

pepper, salt and nutmeg to taste/serbuk lada sulah, garam dan serbuk pala ikut rasa

• Marinate meat with garlic, shallot, ginger, fennel powerder and cumin powder for 30 minutes.

• Melt the butter in a skillet, and sauté the onion until it’s soft. Add the marinated meat and sauté until it’s fragrant, but not browned. Add carrot, salt, pepper to taste. Cook until the meat is cooked. Put in a mixing bowl and cool a side.

• Perapkan daging dengan halia, bawang putih,bawang merah serbuk jintan manis, serbuk dan jintan putih. Biarkan 30 minit. Dalam periuk yang lain, panaskan minyak dan tumis bawang besar sehingga naik baunya. Masukan daging perap tadi, masak sebentar dan masukan karat parut, garam dan lada sulah secukup rasa. Masak sehingga daging betul-betul masak. Sejukan  

• Make a very light roux by melting the butter in a saucepan, then adding the flour. Cook the roux, stirring until it just starts to turn golden. Add the liquid, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring the sauce until it’s smooth, using a whisk if necessary. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, Add salt and pepper to taste.  
• Masak adunan tepung. Panaskan mentega yang selebihnya, masukan tepung dan semua bahan perasa termasuk serbut buah pala. Kacau biar sebati dan masukan stok atau susu. Kacau sehingga adunan menjadi pekat dan lincin.

• Combine the roux with with the meat mixture, continue stirring to combine them thoroughly, and chill this mixture for at least two hours in the refrigerator.  When the mixture has solidified, roll it into balls about 1 inches in diameter, using your hands.  Roll the balls in the egg and water mixture, then in the bread crumbs again. Fry a few at a time in a deep fryer with at least 2 inches of oil at 375 degrees until golden (about 2 to 3 minutes). Drain on paper towels and serve them hot. 

• Campurkan adunan tepung dengan adunan daging. Campur biar sebati dan adunan menjadi pekat.  Masukkan ke dalam bekas dan sejukan sekurang-kuranya 2 jam.  Se-eloknya sejukkan di dalam peti sejuk bagi memastikan adunan mesra dan tidaak pecah apabila mengoreng. Apabila adunan sudah sejuk bentukan seperti bebola sebesar 1 inci dengan menggunakan tangan. Kepalkan dan celup kedalam telur  dan oleskan atas  serbuk roti.

• Panaskan minyak dan goreng dan goreng secara deep fry sehingga ke kuningan. Toskan dan hidang panas-panas.

*********************************************************************
RICE BITTERBALLEN/BITTERBALLEN NASI


This is the best way of making use of left over rice.  If the left over rice is not enough to do Fried Rice use it to make Bitterballen Rice. For the same amount of butter and flour I used 2 cups of cooked rice.  You can prepare the rice mixture the same way you prepared your fried rice. 

For this recipe, I recommended you to form the ball while it is still hot. It is easy to form a ball while it is hot. Scoop the cooked mixture and put in a plastic and twist the plastic like making a pouch bag.  Then roll into eggs and breadcrumbs. Deep fry.

**********************************************************************

BITTERBALLEN MAGGI/MAGGI BITTERBALLEN

I  used 2 packets of instant noodles. Cook the Maggi in boiling water. Strained the Maggi and keep aside.  Melt the butter, saute onion, add shrimp, Maggi, vegetables, salt and pepper. With butter and flour I made a roux and added the broth and chicken to make a ragout.  I left this ragout overnight. The next day the roux had firmed up into a thick paste. With my hands I formed little balls, not too big or they won’t be warm on the inside after frying. Coated these in flour, egg and then breadcrumbs. I put them in the fridge to firm up a bit and then fried them in oil. You can also use macaroni and pasta.  

Sajian ini lebih dikenali di Indonesia daripada Malaysia. Bitteballen merupakan juadah terkenal dari Belanda. Biasanya disediakan di pub-pub dan kedai makanan segera. Caranya tidak beza daripada membuat kroket, menggunakan baki-baki stok atau lebihan makanan semalam untuk dijadikan satu sajian yang menyelerakan.  Bitterbalan sesuai dijadikan minuman petang dan boleh disejuk bekukan untuk kegunaan kemudian hari.

Sebenarnya berbagai jenis Bitterballen boleh dihasilkan jika kita pandai mengolah bahan-bahan yang ada. Lazimnya yang selalu dibuat adalah Bitterballen Daging, Bitterballen Nasi dan Bitterballen Maggi. Apa yang penting ialah ramuan asasnya, selebihnya bergantung kepada kreativiti  seseorang. Paling digemari oleh anak-anak saya ialah Bitterballen Daging. Bitterballen ini sedap dimakan bersama sos. Saya lebih mengemarinya dengan Sambal Tumis atau Asam Pedas.