Beef sausage curry with coconut rice

Some of the most memorable dishes are whipped up out of nothing, using whatever's in the cupboard and a bit of invention. The idea of a sausage curry was surely born in such circumstances. But that doesn't mean it can't be spruced up into something special.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

Total

1H 20M

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The magic of curry at its versatile best.

Ingredients

1½ tbsp ghee

1 large onion, finely chopped

20 gm ginger, finely grated

4 thick beef sausages (about 150gm each), cut into 3cm pieces

200 gm canned tomatoes, mashed

1 tbsp panela or light palm sugar

Sliced Spanish onion, tossed in a little lime juice, and small green chillies (optional), to serve

Coriander, yoghurt and flatbread, to serve

Spice mixture

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp black peppercorns

½ tsp cardamom seeds

2 tsp ground turmeric

Coconut rice

300 gm basmati rice, rinsed (1½ cups)

80 gm desiccated coconut

Method

1.For spice mixture, pound whole spices with a mortar and pestle until very finely ground. Add turmeric and set aside.

2.Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden (8-10 minutes). Add ginger and fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes), then add spices and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add sausage and fry until starting to brown (5 minutes), then add tomatoes and 400ml stock or water. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce reduces by half (35-40 minutes). Add sugar and season to taste.

3.Meanwhile, for coconut rice, place rice in a saucepan and cover with enough cold water to cover by 1cm. Bring to a simmer over high heat, stir, then reduce heat to low, cover with foil or a lid and cook for 12 minutes, then remove lid, cover with a clean tea towel and stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast coconut in a frying pan over medium-high heat until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Stir into rice and season to taste.

4.Transfer coconut rice to warm bowls, top with sausage curry, onion and coriander and serve with yoghurt, flatbread and green chillies.