Sausage Tikka Masala- an unusual curry

I spent all of the last week eating battered fish and all kinds of frozen food,  being quite ill with a severe ear infection, feeling giddy and clueless. I was at home for almost 2 weeks.

Come this weekend, I had no intention of entering the kitchen. Not that I was ill, but just inertia. I just didn’t feel motivated enough.

But Saturday is a day when both my boys come home really hungry. Saturday is cycling day, 2 full hours of cycling for my little fellow. He is really hungry, and Daddy dear, as well.

I tried to put off cooking as long as possible, even contemplated ordering in, but most of our favourite take-outs are closed in the day.

So cook, I had to.

I started rummaging through the fridge, and then spotted this packet of sausages that I had picked from Costco the other day.

But I don’t like sausages. So eating them with  a mash or some such thing would have filled my stomach, but would not been satisfying enough.

And my heart was crying out loud for a spicy something with some steaming rice.. after effects of a week long cold and all that.

So I decided to make a curry.. with sausage. Much faster than beginning to thaw the fish / chicken that was sitting in my freezer, no way. I had neither the time nor the inclination.

Then I popped the sausages into the oven, put some Yellow rice pulao ( pilaf) into the microwave and started on my curry.

By the time my little fellow came home, about 30 minutes later, I had finished cooking the curry, made rotis and the rice was done.

“What’s for lunch? I’m really hungry ” he asked as usual. And I said, Sausage Tikka Curry.

My son looked at me as if I was crazy. He has seen my numerous experiments with sausages, but he certainly hadn’t imagined them swimming in a curry.

So we sat down to lunch.

Simple fare. Steaming hot Yellow rice pulao with chunks of sausage coated in a beautifully thick delicious mouthwatering gravy.

It was simply superb.

This time, I must say, I outdid myself.

Ingredients

Sausages- 8

Onions, finely chopped- 2, about 1 cup

Ginger paste- 2 tsp

Garlic paste- 2 tsp

Garam masala- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

Yoghurt, beaten – 1/4 cup

Oil- 2-3 tsp

Hot Water- 1/4 cup

Cream(optional)- 2 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Method

1. Cook the sausages. either fry them or grill them.

I prefer grilling because it is so much less messy. Also, I’d say please get the best sausages you can. It does make a huge difference to the taste.

2. Chop the onions.

3. Beat the yoghurt.

4. In a pan, add the oil. Heat.

5. When sufficiently hot, add in the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until pink and soft. Do not brown.

6. Add in the ginger garlic pastes. Fry for 1 minute.

7. Add in the turmeric, chilli powder, salt and garam masala.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until spices lose their raw smell.

8. Cut the sausages into chunky tikka sized pieces, about 3/4 inch. I always remove the sausage casing after it is cooked, you could leave it on if you like.

9. Add into the pan.

Fry well till the sausage absorbs all the lovely spices. If you cut the sausage too big, the spices will not seep into the sausage bits.

Add in the yoghurt.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, on medium heat, till all the mixture is uniformly cooked.

Do remember to cook on medium heat, do not boil else, the yoghurt will split.

Add in the hot water.

Cook for another 4-5 minutes till the sauce is thickened. If you find the curry too spicy, add in 2 tbsp cream.

Serve with yellow rice or parathas.

Try this recipe, curries don’t get any easier than this!