Goan Recipes: The

Spiced Sausage Pulao

That Gets Rice Right

Goan sausage pulao marries the two pillars of Goan cuisine: well-spiced sausage and aromatic rice. This is also one of the simplest Goan recipes and can be made in no time. The sausage itself, historically packed with signature spices, chillies, and garlic, lends its flavour to pulao, which is otherwise characterised by its smokiness and slight sourness. There are many sausage recipes, but this is different. As the sausage cooks, its oils permeate the rice, yielding a dish that requires no elaborate gravies or flashy additions. The secret to making pulao lies in building flavours in stages. The sausage is first cooked until it’s just browned, allowing some of its oils to release. The sautéing stage that follows—onions, tomato, ginger-garlic paste, and whole spices must be added and sautéed in the same oil—helps coat the rice with the masala and gives the pulao its aroma. Rinsing and soaking the rice, which must be done before the main cooking process, also play a role in achieving fluffy, separated rice. This particular dish is remarkable in the world of sausage recipes because it is so easy to turn that sausage into the base of a complete meal. The rice is cooked so that there are lumps of sausage throughout, and the whole spices add warmth and flavour, while lemon juice accentuates the freshness at the finish. It can be served as a full and appetising meal with refreshing raita, a simple salad, or a light vegetable side, making it ideal for a family dinner as well as a weekend get-together. Its simplicity and flavour make this dish one of the best Goan recipes to prepare at home.