When you think of your favourite dish from home, what comes to your mind? What memory do you connect with it, and why does it remind you of home?
BUas is a place where people from all over the world come together. We all have our favourite dishes which feel like home and which we share with our roommates or friends. And every dish has a unique story behind it that should be told. That makes me question, what is the story behind your favourite dish?
Over the next few months, I am going to take you on a journey in which we will discover various dishes from around the world. Together with several BUas students, I will cook their favourite dish from their home country and will find out what exactly makes the dish so special to them. You can look forward to useful tips, interesting stories, and exciting recipes! So, grab an apron and let's expand our knowledge of international cuisines together!
Today's guest is my dear friend Louisa Schumacher. She is a 21-year-old Creative Business student and was born and raised in Germany. When asking her which dish has a special place in her heart, she immediately had one specific answer. “Definitely Reibekuchen! I have been craving them for weeks!”.
"It's a dish that the whole family loves"
‘Reibekuchen’ are potato fritters which are one of the classics in the German cuisine. Whether found at the Christmas market, or at lunch at grandma's, potato fritters are well known and loved by everyone. The preparation is easy and within half an hour, you can create the delicious dish for no more than 5€.
All you need is:
- 12 big potatoes
- 3 onions
- 8 tablespoons of flour
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or sunflower oil
- Peel all the potatoes, shred them with a rasp, and place them in a bowl. Optionally, you can wring out the potatoes in a towel to dry the mass, which makes it easier for the potatoes to bond with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cut the onions and add them with the eggs, salt and pepper to the potatoes. How much salt and pepper you use is a matter of taste.
- On top, cover the mass with the flour and mix everything well together.
- Pour oil into a pan and heat it up. Then the dough can be added.
- Once both sides of the fritters turn golden brown, they can be placed on a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.
Most of the times, ‘Reibekuchen’ is enjoyed with some sort of apple puree or apple sauce. You could either buy it in the store, or easily make it yourself with only two ingredients.
- Peel three apples of your choice and cut them into small pieces.
- Place them into a pot and cook them with a little bit of water, until they get a mushy consistency.
- Now you can add a bit of cinnamon and other flavours of your choice.
“It's the best comfort food when it's raining”
While cooking together with Louisa, I noticed some sort of excitement. In fact, she told me that it was her first time making the potato fritters by herself. Usually, her grandfather and father used to cook them for her when she was younger, and most of the time, the dough was bought from the store. “It's a dish that the whole family loves. But the fresh big ones from the Christmas markets are the best ones!”, Louisa shared with me.
It is no secret that Germany is known for its huge Christmas markets and people from various countries are excited to travel there to get a taste of the lovely food and Christmas flair. Every year, Louisa is looking forward to walking through the market and to discover what the different booths have to offer. “They have different sauces on the market like sweet ones, but also sour cream. And every time you go to the booth, you can choose the sauce you want and that makes the whole experience even more unique!”.
The mix of salty potato fritters with the sweet apple puree is what makes the dish so special to Louisa. It reminds her of her favourite time of the year and brings a sense of comfort and ease during cold days.
“It is the best comfort food when it's raining. Or when you had a really shitty day and you want to cuddle up in a blanket, then this is the perfect dish for you”.
