Goan Sausage Pulao

A visit to Goa doesn’t need an itinerary or a plan. Because, here things just happen. You don’t plan stuff when you visit your home, do you? Goa is home. Home to its locals and tourists alike. Hire a bike or a car and jet off to make the most of its beaches, nightlife, shopping and food.
I have a proclivity to markets – the bustling Mapusa, Margaon and Panjim markets and their cheeky vendors are the places where I feel, is the actual essence of Goa.

Goan cuisine is a magical amalgamation of the Hindu, Muslim and the Portuguese influence. The indigenous Pork Sausages are a typical reflection of the Indo-Portuguese cuisine. These long, entwined, fiery red and aromatic beaded necklaces dangling from the stalls have always caught my fancy.
The ubiquitous Pork Sausage Pulao is practically every restaurant’s sweetheart and so is my husband’s.

So, I decided to try it back home. It was as inviting, gorgeous and bursting with flavors, as it did in the restaurants in Goa.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 gms) Basmati rice
2 cups of water
14 beads of homemade Goan Sausages
2 medium size onions, finely chopped
2 medium size tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chilies, slit
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying
Chopped coriander for garnish
Whole Spices:
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 black pepper corns
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method:
1. Wash, drain and soak the basmati rice for about 15 minutes
2. Remove the sausages off their casings.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add the whole spices. Fry till aromatic.
4. Toss in the onions and fry till translucent and golden brown.
5. Add minced garlic and slit green chilies and saute.
6. Tumble in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
7. Add turmeric powder and stir.
8. Now add the sausages and saute till aromatic and the oil starts leaving from the sides.
9. Add the soaked rice and mix well.
10. Pour in the water, sprinkle salt, sugar and stir gently.
11. When it comes to boil, cover it up and cook on low for about 15 minutes or till done.
12. When cooked, leave it covered for about 10 minutes. This helps the flavors and aroma to permeate through.
13. Gently toss the pulao with a fork, so you don’t harm the long, beautiful grains of rice.
14. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with a wedge of lime.

P.S.: Here, simplicity is the key. The tangy vinegar, smoked paprika, a dash of garam masala, spicy pepper and few other ingredients together add an intense flavor to the minced pork.
The Pulao is nothing but heaven sizzling on your plate 🙂