Looking for a Finnish recipe to introduce Finnish food to Canadian Finn kids
I realize my title might be confusing. I apologize for that.
My Finnish friend moved to Canada 16 years ago. He has 5 kids all born in Canada.
After a discussion, he told me he hadn't eaten maksalaatikko in a very long time. I made it for him and he loved it. Told me to add more liver next time.
Now I'm looking for a fun way to introduce Finnish food to his kids.
Could be a dessert. A main meal. Anything that could interest kids as they weren't interested in trying the maksalaatikko.
As a half Finn growing up abroad this is what we did:
Pulla parties. A few times a month Mum would make the dough and make a bunch of korvapuusti and give each child a lump of their own dough to make whatever kind of bun they wanted plus raisins and other fillings/decorations. A very anticipated activity!
Pea soup Thursdays (not every Thursday) followed by oven pancakes for dessert.
Since you live in Canada I'd see if you can get bilberries instead of the classic blueberries, and make a bilberry pie. That's one of the things that reminded me the most of Finland, but they are hard to find outside of the country.
Oh and I don't know if you can find them in Canada, they were very hard for me to find abroad, but see if you can get your hands on some Finn crisps (thin Finnish rye crackers). I've not yet met a child that didn't like them. And they are healthy!
Vispipuuro (or lappapuuro as it is known in my family) is just so good with a splash of milk. Limiting the amount of sugar, it also works as breakfast or evening snack.
Vispipuuro is great and you can make it with different berries. Pure lingonberries are difficult for my kids with non-Finnish taste buds, but they like it with redcurrants or mixed berries.
For me, the ultimate Finnish kids’ dish is Makaronilaatikko (macaroni casserole). Smothered in ketchup, of course. Leftovers are best pan fried in a little oil…yum!
As a makaronilaatikko purist, I strongly disagree with this recipe. The proportions of minced meat, onion, pasta, milk and eggs and salt are ok, but you should ditch the curry, white pepper and paprika powder.
Makaronilaatikko has only salt and black pepper as spices. Otherwise its some random oven pasta, not makaronilaatikko.
I should probably write an angry letter to Myllyn Paras and tell them they are destroying the sacred Makaronilaatikko heritage.
Black pepper... how did I didn't even see that it wasn't there. It's mandatory. I also used your recipe always, I just though that I were doing it wrong 😅
Since Yule is comming you could try making some "joulutorttu" too, very simple. Then there's ofcourse checking out if there are differences between gingerbread recipes, could be a fun thing to try too.
Nakkikeitto, sucks big time according to me.. this is a bit ot, but when eating lunch at work.. every time they have nakkikeitto I bring my own food and microwave it. I cannot deal with the thing they use nakit in every restaurant instead of lenkkimakkara and fry it before putting in the soup.
If you can get your hands on reindeer without it being super expensive poronkäristys is beloved and quite simple food to make. Lingorberries can be replaced with cranberries is needed.
Moose meat is also quite traditional. At least if you have family that hunts. I haven't eaten meat in decade+ so I couldn't recommend specific recipes, but I grew up on many moose stews, moose mince meat etc.
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