Spicy Garlic Sausage Vindaloo with Dried Plum Chutney

Name: Spicy Garlic Sausage Vindaloo with Dried Plum Chutney
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 1 cup dried plums, cut lengthwise into quarters; 1/4 red onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped orange peel (not just the zest); 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar; Small pinch of cardamom seeds; Small pinch of cayenne pepper; 1 cup cold water; 3 yellow or white onions, 1 coarsely chopped, 2 quartered and thinly sliced; 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 1/2 pounds Spicy Garlic Sausage (page 48), formed into 1-inch balls; 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil; 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds; 6 small dried red chiles, such as cayenne or japones, broken into pieces; 1 1/2-inch piece tamarind pulp; 2 cups warm water; 4 tablespoons butter; 2 teaspoons ground turmeric; 1 1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder, preferably ancho or New Mexico; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon gold, red, or white, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 cups plain yogurt, whisked smooth

January 24, 2012

Vindaloo originated in the tiny state of Goa, on India’s southwest coast, which was colonized by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Because the Portuguese are traditionally Christian, pork is not proscribed in Goa, as it is almost everywhere else in India. Vindaloo, however, has been embraced throughout India and beyond, reinterpreted sometimes with chicken, sometimes with beef or lamb, so that it can be enjoyed within religious bounds. In fact, vindaloo with any meat, or even as a vegetarian dish, has an irresistible sweet-salty-sour-hot flavor. And though it seems intimidatingly spicy at first, one taste and you are hooked. A fruit chutney, to both soothe and stimulate the palate, is an expected complement for many Indian meals. Here, dried plums fit that bill in a chutney that can be enjoyed year-round not only with this dish, but with nearly any pork, poultry, or game dish, as well. I won’t tell you any lies: this dish is for a day when you feel like cooking. The good news is that it is a one-pot meal and worth it.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

Chutney

1 cup dried plums, cut lengthwise into quarters

1/4 red onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped orange peel (not just the zest)

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar

Small pinch of cardamom seeds

Small pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup cold water

Vindaloo

3 yellow or white onions, 1 coarsely chopped, 2 quartered and thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 pounds Spicy Garlic Sausage (page 48), formed into 1-inch balls

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

6 small dried red chiles, such as cayenne or japones, broken into pieces

1 1/2-inch piece tamarind pulp

2 cups warm water

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder, preferably ancho or New Mexico

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon gold, red, or white, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups plain yogurt, whisked smooth

Preparation

Step 1
To make the chutney, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and toss to mix. Place over medium heat, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost gone, 8 to 10 minutes. Or, combine the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 8 to 10 minutes. Set the chutney aside, or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Step 2
To make the vindaloo, combine the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cider vinegar in a food processor and process until as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl, add the sausage balls, and turn gently to coat evenly. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate while preparing the rest of the ingredients, or for up to overnight.
Step 3
When ready to cook, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and chiles and sauté until the mustard seeds begin to pop, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
In a small bowl, soften the tamarind pulp in the warm water for about 30 minutes. Pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to capture the liquid, pressing down on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
Step 5
When ready to cook the dish, melt the butter in a large enameled pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, stir to coat with the butter, and cook gently until soft and beginning to turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 6
Add the meatballs and their paste, the turmeric, chile powder, salt, and tamarind liquid and bring to a boil over medium heat, turning the sausage balls as needed to coat evenly. Cover partially, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the sausage balls are almost cooked but are still pink in the center, about 20 minutes.
Step 7
Gently stir the potatoes into the pot and continue cooking, partially covered, until the potatoes are easily pierced all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Step 8
Transfer the vindaloo to a serving dish. Serve right away with the yogurt and dried plum chutney on the side.

Sausage

TagsCurry Stew Soup/Stew Indian South Asian Asian Main Dinner Nut Free Gluten Free Food Processor Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Chutney

Vindaloo

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Recipe notes