Oktoberfest is legendary for its beer-swilling gatherings. It’s Germany’s biggest Volkfest — a month-long celebration of food, drinks and merrymaking. The festival’s international appeal is so strong that it is celebrated all over the world, including here in India.
Here are a few German dishes that one would originally find at the Oktoberfest. Whip them up at home. Prost!
Kaiserschmarrn
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 350–400 ml milk
- 180–200 gm finely ground flour
- 3 tbsp crystal sugar, for the topping
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 packet (8g) vanilla sugar
- A dash of rum
- Some grated lemon rind
- A pinch of salt
- Approximately 50 gm butter (for frying)
- 1 tbsp of butter shavings and crystal sugar, for caramelising
- Icing sugar and
- cinnamon for dusting
German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 kg red potatoes, diced
- 500 gms bacon, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in diced potatoes and boil until tender for about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, add bacon to a cold large skillet. Heat over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp for about eight to 10 minutes.
Remove bacon from grease and set aside, leaving grease in the pan. Add red onion to grease and cook for five minutes until onions are soft.
Whisk in vinegar, olive oil, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper until heated through for one to two minutes. Pour sauce over cooked potatoes. Toss with bacon and parsley.
Serve hot, or chill to serve cold.
German Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ kg split broiler chicken, or one 1½ chicken spatchcocked
- for the marinade
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup Bavarian lager beer
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Method
Pour marinade over chicken in a plastic marinating bag, squeezing out all excess air.
Marinade for four to six hours or overnight.
Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Boil marinade for three minutes, adding water as needed and use for a grilling baste.
Grill chicken over indirect heat on an outdoor grill until temperature tests 1650F or in an OTG at 1800C for 40 minutes.
Method
Place the raisins in a bowl, mix with the rum and leave to stand for approximately 15 minutes. Separate the eggs and place the yolk in a mixing bowl. Pour in the milk, flavour with some grated lemon rind and vanilla sugar, and add the flour. Mix to form a smooth dough.
Beat the egg whites with the crystal sugar and a small pinch of salt until it forms a firm peak, and fold into the dough mix.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. Let the butter melt and bubble up in one large or two small (coated) heatproof dishes. Pour in the mixture and after one to two minutes, scatter the soaked raisins on top. Cook the underside until light brown, turn over using a spatula and bake for six to eight minutes in the pre-heated oven until golden brown.
Tear the schmarren into small pieces, using two forks. Scatter the butter shavings over the top, sprinkle with some crystal sugar, and caramelise under the grill at a high heat.
Remove from the grill and arrange on pre-heated plates. Dust with icing sugar and cinnamon. Serve with baked plums, a berry ragout or fruit compote. The kaiserschmarren can also be cooked at the top of the oven and caramelised at the end with a lid to cover.
— As told to Oishani Mojumder
