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Anyone Ever made Curry Ketchup?

I ate at the Eideldown German restaurant in Louisville a few nights ago and they served (home made) Curry Ketchup with their brats. It was awesome.

I bought some at Meijers to have at home for the next time I smoke some brats on the egg. ....but it tasted completely different.

I can't really describe the tastes. One was good, one was not as good/different ;)

Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    The problem is that "curry" can refer to any number of mixes. English Wooster sauce was an attempt to emulate Indian curry. Right now, I have 1 Jamaican curry, 4 types of Indian blends, including Kashmiri which I suspect comes from a different planet, 1 Indonesian, and 2 Thai.

    And then the house made Ketchup was fresh, maybe made from heirloom 'maters. Got to have a special flavor.
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    By coincidence, I made a recipe for "Currywurst," just yesterday, which is just sausages with curry ketchup.  They said,
    Created in postwar Berlin in 1949, currywurst originated as a “poor man’s steak,” cobbled together using sausages, canned tomatoes and curry powder. Today, it’s a popular street food across Germany, although how you enjoy it depends on the vendor and your preferences: The sausages can be served with or without skin, and you can request your currywurst sauce to be scharf (hot) or even extra-scharf. In traditional German currywurst sauces, tomatoes and vinegar provide acidity, sugar or juice lend sweetness and mild curry powder adds spice (although some adventurous cooks add other aromatics and spices, like mustard powder, hot chile or even lemongrass). This recipe, adapted from Alfons Schuhbeck's “The German Cookbook” (Phaidon, 2018), is a great introduction, not too spiced or too sweet, and can be customized according to taste.
    This surely is what your German restaurant served.  I'll share the recipe I tried, but I have to say I was disappointed, and if I make it again, I'll double the curry powder, might try some other things they said above to make it more interesting.  It's also possible I didn't reduce it enough before blending it.

    Currywurst

    For the curry sauce:

    4 tablespoons olive oil

    1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

    1 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar

    1 tablespoon mild curry powder, plus more for sprinkling

    1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika

    1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

    1 small dried chile de árbol

    2 tablespoons tomato paste

    1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices

    ¾ cup vegetable stock

    2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

    Kosher salt, to taste

    For the sausages:

    6 to 8 fresh bratwurst sausages, knockwurst sausages or hot dogs

    1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable

    French fries, for serving (optional)

    DIRECTIONS

    Prepare the currywurst ketchup: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon curry powder, paprika, cinnamon and chile and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the chopped tomatoes and their juices, stock and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Discard the cinnamon stick and chile de arbol, then transfer tomato mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Blend in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a steady stream. Season to taste with salt. (This makes about 2 cups of sauce.)

    Prepare the sausages: Meanwhile , using the tines of a fork, lightly poke a few holes in the skin of the sausages on all sides to allow air to escape as the sausages cook. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and pan-fry, rotating until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on what type of sausage you select. Let rest for 5 minutes.

    Serve: Slice the sausages on an angle into thick coins, if desired, and divide the sausages among the plates. Transfer the curry sauce to a squeeze bottle and drizzle on top of the sausages (alternately, you can simply drizzle the curry sauce on top using a spoon). Sprinkle with additional curry powder, if desired, and serve with French fries.


  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    You, my friend, are awesome‼️‼️

    Ill give it a shot and let you know what happens. 

    Thank you. 

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    curry ketchup seems to be a German thing, but in India we have spiced ketchup which most folks just call masala ketchup. 

    If you have an Indian store in  your area look for Maggi ketchup. Usually  comes in plain, hot and sweet, chili garlic, and masala chili flavors. We usually have a couple of them at home. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    We've got these two, planning to make our own as well as these are not that hot and a bit too sweet.

  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Eoin   The Hela Scharf is the one I bought.

    Thanks.

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    this changes the idea of ketchup on a hot dog, never thought to heat up the ketchup


    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    That was interesting!  I bet his sauce was a LOT tastier than the one I tried.  I think he had at least THREE TIMES more curry, plus garam masala and smoked paprika.

    I'm not so sure about the mint, though, doesn't sound good to me, and why in the WORLD would the guy drizzle mustard and mayonnaise all over the buns???  No way in the world to eat those without getting that stuff all over your face.  We notice HE didn't try to eat one...  No way.  I'll keep the condiments on the inside, thanks.  They're messy enough to eat without spraying oozy stuff all over the buns.  The "customers" were having to lick stuff off of their fingers before they even had a taste.  I guess it was just to make them look cool.  Not sure I'd want mayo on a curry dog anyway.

    Still, I bet his sauce is good.  Might try something similar.  Thanks for posting!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    Theophan said:
    That was interesting!  I bet his sauce was a LOT tastier than the one I tried.  I think he had at least THREE TIMES more curry, plus garam masala and smoked paprika.

    I'm not so sure about the mint, though, doesn't sound good to me, and why in the WORLD would the guy drizzle mustard and mayonnaise all over the buns???  No way in the world to eat those without getting that stuff all over your face.  We notice HE didn't try to eat one...  No way.  I'll keep the condiments on the inside, thanks.  They're messy enough to eat without spraying oozy stuff all over the buns.  The "customers" were having to lick stuff off of their fingers before they even had a taste.  I guess it was just to make them look cool.  Not sure I'd want mayo on a curry dog anyway.

    Still, I bet his sauce is good.  Might try something similar.  Thanks for posting!
    i have some mint from lebanon in the garden that was brought back by a distant cousin decades ago, alot different than the mint here and it pairs well with meat. i dont think that was mayo, i thought he said yogurt with lemons. i would have buttered the bunns, dusted them with more curry and toasted them as well =) been on a curry kick this week since this thread was posted, had grass fed burger with curry over rice noodles for lunch today
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    i have some mint from lebanon in the garden that was brought back by a distant cousin decades ago, alot different than the mint here and it pairs well with meat. i dont think that was mayo, i thought he said yogurt with lemons. i would have buttered the bunns, dusted them with more curry and toasted them as well =) been on a curry kick this week since this thread was posted, had grass fed burger with curry over rice noodles for lunch today
    Yeah, now that you remind me, I do remember it was yogurt with lemon.  This old guy just keeps getting more and more and more forgetful.  I used to joke about how dementia isn't all it's cracked up to be, but it gets less and less funny...  Misery loves company, though, and the fact that my wife and my brother report exactly the same difficulties reassures me that it's not really dementia, just getting old.

    And thanks for the report on mint.  It really doesn't sound good to me with curry, but I admit I've never tried it, so what do I know?

    And I've been enjoying curry, too.  A favorite meal, these days, is putting a pretty heavy amount of Dizzy Pig's Bombay Curry-ish (I think that's the name) on chicken breasts, browning them in a skillet, pouring in a little blanc vermouth (not the usual dry kind, but a slightly sweet white vermouth) and covering it and very gently simmering it to temp.  Reducing the liquid after taking the chicken out makes a super sauce, and man, what an easy, easy dish!

    Thanks again for the info!
  • lwrehm
    lwrehm Posts: 381
    When it first opened I stopped in at the Bavarian Bier Haus in Milwaukee for lunch, ate at the bar, and the bartender who took my order kept raving about the special ketchup they had, I tried to resist and get some more information but gave in.  Turns out it was curry ketchup, problem is there is nothing in the food world I despise more than curry.  He didn't get a very good tip from me that day, and I don't care if I look like a dog, I always sniff new things before I eat them.  I will not even go to work picnics because of the large number of Indians we have at work, they always have curry something and even the smell makes me want to barf.

  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    lwrehm said:
    ... there is nothing in the food world I despise more than curry... even the smell makes me want to barf.
    Yeow!  I'm sorry that is true for you.  We're all different.  Some people hate cilantro, red meat, all kinds of stuff, and let's not even get into food allergies!  There's something about the smell of Zatarain's beans and rice that my wife really hates.  Dunno.

    When I was a kid I hated green peppers, but I love food so much that it just frustrated me that my hating green peppers stopped me from enjoying so many foods.  So I gradually taught myself to like them.  I wasn't crazy about cilantro the first time I had it, either, but same thing: there are just too many foods with cilantro in them, these days, and I don't want to cut myself off from enjoying all of them.  So I like cilantro, now.  Took a little doing, but gradually I started to like it, and now I like it a lot.

    Decades ago, I spent some time working in a hospital where there were a lot of doctors from India, and I was fascinated, and really enjoyed getting to know some of them, hearing stories about their lives in India, really different lives.  Wonderful people who were very kind and accepting of me.  And I love Indian foods.  Sorry they're such a problem for you!
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,428
    Theophan said:
    I wasn't crazy about cilantro the first time I had it, either, but same thing: there are just too many foods with cilantro in them, these days, and I don't want to cut myself off from enjoying all of them.  So I like cilantro, now.  Took a little doing, but gradually I started to like it, and now I like it a lot.
    That's interesting.  Scientists have actually identified an enzyme in 10% of the population that makes cilantro taste like soap; I don't know that I could "train" myself to get over that.  
    The only foods I don't like are beets, turnips, and mackerel sushi, and those three are easy enough to avoid.   ;)
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    edited October 2019
    @Theophan mint in Indian curries is pretty tasty, and worth a try. It's used sparingly in recipes, so the flavor should be subtle, not prominent. 

    I don't know how to suggest how much to use, but if you make chicken curry with a 5lb chicken, try about a teaspoon of chopped mint leaves, then adjust accordingly for future cooks. Cilantro and mint play well together. Don't think I've ever used mint alone, without cilantro. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    edited October 2019
    Botch said:
    Scientists have actually identified an enzyme in 10% of the population that makes cilantro taste like soap; I don't know that I could "train" myself to get over that...
    Decades ago, my wife and a family group were in a Brazilian restaurant, and my wife said, "This rice tastes like soap!"  I hadn't really noticed, but when I tasted it again, I agreed!  We actually talked for a bit about whether they hadn't rinsed the pot well enough or something, and then someone said, "No, it's cilantro," which at that time I wasn't familiar with.

    So I, too, thought it tasted like soap at first.  But as years went by, cilantro just started appearing in practically EVERYTHING, and it just irritated me how many foods I didn't want to eat because of cilantro.  So I deliberately went ahead and ate them anyway, cooked with it a little, myself, and gradually came to like it.

    So I don't know whether my wife's "cilantro gene" is different than mine.  All I can say is that I thought it tasted kind like soap too, at first.  But by continuing to eat it, gradually over a few years I came to like it, and it doesn't taste like soap to me, anymore.  I just mixed some into some burgers last night with curry powder (another link to curry <laughing>) and a bunch of other stuff, and they were delicious.

    And I'm not super crazy about beets or eggplant, but I don't hate them.  I like liver, but only cooked the French way, so it's not dry but juicy and quite pink inside, and I hardly ever have it.  The only thing I can think of offhand that I really just can't eat is chitlins.  I had a French dish, several decades ago, called "andouillette," and as I recall it's pig intestines cooked inside a pig colon.  I tried it sort of on a self-dare, and I will NEVER forget cutting into that thing and having this slimy stuff pour out.  <shudder>  I ate some of it, but hated it.  And then many hours later I got sick as a dog, puking my guts out.  Don't know if it was the andouillette or not, but all I have to to is THINK about that stuff too long and I start turning green...  Nope.  Never again!
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I'm in the 10% that taste soap from cilantro. No learning to like it, but can tolerate a bit if there are other strong flavors w. it. Lemon basil is supposed to be a good substitute, and so I grow some of that for my own use. If that is like the flavor of cilantro, I can understand why it is so widely used.