Curried Sausage + Plum Layered Rice

Recently I’ve been drawn to cooking meat with fruit, and am really loving the added punch fruits lend. The sweetness and tang can infinitely elevate a dish, and can sometimes even create a phenomenal pairing. To add to this, the constant rain and gloom is really having us reach for lush and comforting food. So with a little time on my hands yesterday, I wanted to try a simple layered bake with rice and curry. This is the lovely end result, and I can safely say it was heavenly + satisfying to the utmost degree. This recipe looks deceptively long, but it’s rather easy to put together and the steps are straightforward. This is for one of those days when you’re relaxing at home and have some time on your hands to leisurely spend in the kitchen. The key is the curry which is cooked with sausage meat that is easier to handle + incorporates well in the final bake. The layers are simple fluffy rice, curry, fried onions and plums, and of course some glorious butter. The resulting bake is rewarding with a steamy, rich and decadent mix of butter-y rice and beautiful curry, all infused together. Mark your calendars, and give it a go!

Ingredients

For the rice

1 cup basmati rice
1 litre water
1 3-inch stick cinnamon
5-6 cloves
2-3 cardamom pods
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste

For the curry

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Handful mint leaves, stems removed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1-inch knob ginger, grated
2 red chillies, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
6 fresh pork sausages, casings removed and marinated
2 plums, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp yogurt

For the marinade

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp yogurt
Salt to taste

For the fried onions

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

For the fried plums

1 plum, thinly sliced
1 tsp butter

For the layers

2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp melted butter

Method of Preparation

Mix the ingredients for the marinade together. Add the pork sausage meat, mix well and allow to marinate for ~1 hour.
Cooking the rice - Add the water to a large saucepan. Add the spices + salt, and bring to boil. Simmer, and add the rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or till it’s half done. Drain the water, and set the rice aside.
Cooking the curry - To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the oil + butter. As the butter melts and slightly foams, add the mint + cumin seeds. As the leaves wilt, add the onion. Sauté for ~2 minutes. Add ginger + garlic + chillies + salt. Sauté for ~15 minutes till the onions are soft and are turning a mild pinkish golden. Add the garam masala and sauté for ~2 minutes. Add the marinated sausage meat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes till the colour of the meat changes. Add the plums. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for ~15 minutes. Remove the lid, add the yogurt and cook for another 10 minutes. Check for salt, turn off the heat and set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
Make the fried onions - To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the oil. Once it’s warm, add the sliced onions and allow it to cook for ~ 8-10 minutes till it mildly crisps. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towels.
Make the fried plums - To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the butter. As it melts and mildly foams, add the plums and allow it to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and set aside.
Creating the layers - To a baking dish, add a layer of the curry. Top with a layer of rice. Add half the fried onions + fried plums. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp melted butter. Add another layer of curry. Top with a layer of rice. Add the remaining fried onions + fried plums + a few mint leaves. Drizzle the remaining butter + milk evenly. Cover and seal the dish with kitchen foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with some yogurt on the side.