Glossary F
Farikal/Fårikål refers to a Norway dish of lamb simmered with cabbage and whole peppercorns. Farikal/Fårikål is a typical and favorite Norway autumn dish.
Likewise, Fårikål refers to Norway’s national dish. It is a casserole of seasonal lamb and cabbage and traditionally served with new potatoes, cowberry sauce and crispy flat bread and often with local beer.
The trick to this meal is to use real mutton, from sheep and not a lamb. Because mutton lives longer it has had more chance to get cuddly. The true Fårikål taste will not be achived if the meat is too lean as the fat is supposed to soak into the cabbage.
As in any great casserole, Fårikål will mature with age and by the fourth day, after the meat and cabbage has been eaten, the leftovers makes a great soup stock.
The third major ingredient in this dish is peppercorns and the Norwegian Fårikål Society says you don’t have to eat them if you are a ‘pyse’, which roughly translates to ’sissy’. But if you ever want to learn about real traditional fårikål, the Norwegian Fårikål Society is the place go.
Even though fårikål is traditionally made (and eaten) in Autumn there have been other versions that have obtained ’seasonal’ status. The ‘hunting season’ dish includes juniper berries in the stock. The ‘winter season’ dish also uses juniper berries but with a dash of cumin spice for that extra warmth. For the ’summer season’ dish, smoked lamb is used to create a deep flavour and the cabbage is steamed to retain a little crunch.
Whatever the season, when you eat Fårikål it feels just like a warm hug from the inside. But there is no need for you to wait to get to Norway before trying some – why not celebrate National Fårikål day with us. On the last Thursday of September every year Norway celebrates their national dish with, of course, all you can eat fårikål! What better way to experience Norway than eating like a Norwegian? Below is the traditional recipe – it’s quick and easy as the dish cooks itself: