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 notes