By Clara Ingrid ( A Busy gardener and even busier Grandma!) Guest Post
Hallo, meine Lieben!
I am Oma Ingrid, and I live in a small house just outside Potsdam. I’ve been living here since before the Wall came down. Now, my hair is white, my hands are a little slow, but my heart is still young — especially on Sundays.
That’s when my grandkids visit.
They come running into the garden, yelling “Oma! Oma!” and I always know what they want: Currywurst. Not the kind from the Imbiss (snack stand), no — meine Currywurst is made at home, with love, just like I used to make for their papa when he was a boy.
Let me tell you a little story, and then I’ll share my recipe.
What is Currywurst?
Currywurst is one of Germany’s most beloved street foods — especially in Berlin. It’s a simple dish: sliced bratwurst, warm spicy ketchup, and a sprinkle of curry powder. But ach! it’s so much more than that.
To us old Berliners, currywurst is a memory. After the war, food was simple. A lady named Herta Heuwer invented the sauce in 1949 using ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and curry powder from British soldiers. That mix — sweet, sour, spicy — became a new kind of comfort.
Now every German child knows currywurst. Even my Emilie, who is only five, says, “Oma, mach bitte das rote Würstchen!”
My Home-Style Currywurst Recipe (Serves 4)
This is the way meine Mutter taught me. It is not too spicy, just enough to make the children go “Mmmm!”
Ingredients
For the sausages:
- 4 Bratwurst (or Bockwurst/Weißwurst – use what you have!)
- 1 tbsp oil or butter for frying
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 200 ml tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp mild curry powder (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1/2 tsp paprika (sweet)
- A pinch of sugar
- A splash of water (or orange juice for sweetness!)
- 1 tsp vinegar (apple cider or white)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional:
- A tiny bit of chili or hot paprika if you like it hotter
- Serve with Brötchen (bread rolls), Pommes (fries), or Kartoffelsalat (potato salad)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the Wurst
- In a frying pan, heat a spoon of oil.
- Add the sausages and cook gently on all sides until browned and cooked through. Don’t rush, Langsam ist besser! (Slow is better!)
- Take them out and rest them on a plate. Let the juices stay in the pan — they’ll flavor the sauce.
2. Make the Sauce
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil and chopped onions.
- Sauté until soft and golden — not brown.
- Stir in tomato paste, then ketchup. Let it bubble.
- Add curry powder, paprika, sugar, vinegar, and a splash of water.
- Stir well and simmer for 5–7 minutes until thick.
- Taste it! If it’s too tangy, add more sugar. Too thick? Add a little more water. Sauce is like life — it needs balance.
3. Assemble and Serve
- Slice the sausages into thick rounds (like coins).
- Pour the warm sauce generously over the sausages.
- Sprinkle more curry powder on top — don’t skip this!
- Serve with fries or crusty bread, and maybe a spoonful of Senf (mustard) on the side.
My Little Currywurst Ritual
When I serve currywurst, the children gather at the old wooden table. They dip, munch, and giggle. My Emilie always licks the spoon when I’m not looking. Luca tries to “rate” my currywurst like the YouTubers. “Today, Oma, I give you nine out of ten!” — Frechdachs! (cheeky monkey!)
But every time they leave, they kiss me and say, “Oma, next Sunday again, ja?”
And I smile and say, “Natürlich, mein Schatz.” (Of course, my darling.)
Final Thoughts
Currywurst is more than sausage and sauce. It is love. It is tradition. It is that warm smell in the kitchen that tells the children: Oma is here, and all is well.
So if you want to feel a little German magic on your Sunday, come to my kitchen. Or try my recipe. Cook it slow, serve it warm, and most importantly — eat it together.
Guten Appetit und einen schönen Sonntag!
