Bitterballen are a savoury Dutch

Culture of the Netherlands

Dutch culture, or the culture of the Netherlands, is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences thanks to the merchant and exploring spirit of the Dutch and the influx of immigrants...

 meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef (minced or chopped), beef broth, flour and butter for thickening, parsley, salt and pepper. This is also called ragout

Ragout

-Etymology:The term comes from the French ragoûter, to revive the taste. The etymologically related Italian ragù is a sauce such as Bolognese used typically to dress pasta.-Preparation:...

. Some recipes also include nutmeg

Nutmeg

The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...

 and/or curry powder

Curry powder

Curry powder is a mixture of spices of widely varying composition based on South Asian cuisine. Curry powder, and the contemporary English use of the word curry are Western inventions and do not reflect any specific Indian food, though a similar mixture of spices used in north India is called...

. The ingredients are combined and cooked, then refrigerated so the mixture can firm up. Once firm, the filling is then rolled into balls roughly 3 cm in diameter, and battered in a breadcrumb, milk and egg mixture and deep-fried. They are typically served with a ramekin

Ramekin

A ramekin or ramequin, also known as a bouillon bowl, is a small glazed ceramic or glass serving bowl used for the preparation and serving of various food dishes...

 or small bowl of mustard

Mustard (condiment)

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...

 for dipping. They are eaten in Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands, Belgium, to some degree in Indonesia, and hardly anywhere else.
Popular on Dutch pub menus, bitterballen are very similar to kroketten (plural of 'kroket') in their ingredients and preparation/cooking methods, as well as flavour, though kroketten have a distinct oblong sausage shape, with a similar diameter, so kroketten are larger. Bitterballen are a particular favourite of fans of Aberdeen Football Club

Aberdeen F.C.

Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...

, who refer to them as "Stovie Balls", named after the Scottish delicacy stovies

Stovies

thumb|right|StoviesStovies is a traditional Scottish dish. Recipes and ingredients vary widely between regions, and even families, but the dish contains potatoes, usually onions and often leftover roast beef, corned beef, mince or other meat.The potatoes are cooked by stewing with fat and stock;...

.