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Nokia kuuma koira

A steamed cardamom doughnut stuffed with a sausage and served with milk.

Flag of FinlandOrigin: Nokia, Pirkanmaa, Finland
Nokia kuuma koira illustrated hot dog icon

Pinpointed origin: Nokia, Pirkanmaa, Finland

The anatomy

Vessel
Munkki doughnut
Sausage
Lenkkimakkara sausage
Region
Pirkanmaa
Ingredients

The Nokia kuuma koira is a Finnish street food that swaps the standard bread bun for a sweet, sugared yeast doughnut. Originating in the town of Nokia in the 1960s, this combination delivers a direct sweet-and-savory contrast that has earned its own annual celebration. The key to the preparation is steaming, which softens the doughnut and partially melts the sugar coating into a sticky glaze before the steamed sausage is inserted.

To prepare the dish, steam Finnish lenkkimakkara or nakki sausages until plump. Slice cardamom-infused sugar doughnuts lengthwise and steam them briefly alongside the meat until warm and pillowy. Assemble by placing the hot sausage into the split doughnut, then apply a line of sweet Finnish mustard, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and a handful of finely chopped raw onions.

Method

  1. 1Slice fresh, sugar-rolled cardamom yeast doughnuts lengthwise down the middle, leaving one side hinged.
  2. 2Cut thick lenkkimakkara sausage into straight, bun-sized pieces.
  3. 3Place the sausage pieces in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam for 15 minutes.
  4. 4Add the split doughnuts to the steamer basket with the sausages, cover, and steam for an additional three minutes until the doughnuts are soft and the sugar glaze starts to melt.
  5. 5Remove the warm doughnut, open the hinge, and place a hot steamed sausage inside.
  6. 6Drizzle sweet Finnish mustard and ketchup directly over the sausage.
  7. 7Spoon sweet pickle relish over the sauces and scatter a layer of finely chopped raw onions on top.
  8. 8Wrap the hot dog tightly in greaseproof paper and serve immediately.

Sources

Controversies

The regional dispute over whether the kuuma koira belongs to Nokia or Tampere.

Our take: The dish was invented in Nokia. The fact that a grill in Tampere bought the recipe and popularized it on television does not change its geography. It remains a Nokia specialty, regardless of where you buy it after the bars close.

The dispute over using a jelly-filled doughnut versus a plain sugar-dusted cardamom doughnut.

Our take: The original 1960s version used flat apple-jelly doughnuts because that is what the inventor had left over. While purists argue for the jam, the modern consensus has correctly moved to plain sugar-dusted cardamom doughnuts. Adding fruit jam to a steamed sausage and raw onions is a step too far, even for this format.