Lentil, Vegetable and Sausage Curry

Lentil, Vegetable and Sausage Curry

On a cold snowy day like this (and Hub refusing to lunch at a restaurant), I had to dig in my fridge to find sustenance and found it in the form of a few forgotten good-quality Südtirol sausages. At the same time I found some cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and tofu - and adding spilt red lentils I came up with a Lentil, Vegetable and Sausage Curry. East meets west.

Hub wasn't being a cheapskate, as we have just dined last evening in a good seafood restaurant in Maranello. In spite of the hard times, he has been awarded a special bonus, which is very rewarding after all the long hours and hard work that he has been putting in - and worth a little celebration. The seafood was fresh and very good at William's and I am surprised that we haven't been back there more often. Probably because they only serve fish and the Babies do not like fish (they had tortellini in brodo last night).

At some point, a couple (lady in huge fur coat) and their child came in and sat next to our table. Impossible not to remember the lady, she must be a living advertisement for her plastic surgeon. Botox, face-lifting, lip-enlargement, breast-enlargement, probably rib-cage reduction...I've seen her a few times at the golf club and it has been difficult looking her in the eye when we talked - I do not have a poker face. Her husband looks quite a bit older and I wonder if he was the one who had encouraged her to have that much plastic surgery done. Suddenly, I now wonder if he's not a/the plastic surgeon. They look very wealthy.

I only know a few people who have had plastic surgery and do not recall the results being so obvious. I mean, if one takes a look at you and know that you've been under the knife, wouldn't that defeat the purpose?

Back home, I asked Hub if he wouldn't want me to go for some liposuction since he keeps telling me that I'm sooo fat. Not even bothering to look at me, he muttered, "Just eat less." As if I needed anybody to tell me that.

Lentil, Vegetable and Sausage Curry :

1 Onion

2 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

small piece Cinnamon bark

2-3 Cloves

2 Black Cardamom seeds

A few Mustard seeds

1 Tsp Cumin seeds

1 Tsp ground Turmeric

1 Tsp ground Coriander

1 fresh green Chilli

1 Tsp Garam Masala

6-8 Curry leaves

500ml hot water

1-2 cups spilt red lentils

half a head of Cauliflower

2 Carrots

2 Potatoes

1 Zucchini

3-4 Tbsp Crème fraîche

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 good-quality Südtirol Sausages

I didn't put in fried tofu in the list as after I've finished frying a few of them, I ate them up almost immediately. Lovely on its own, too bad for those who have not been initiated to the good protein.

For the curry, proceed as usual meaning fry the onion, garlic paste, brown the spices, fry the potatoes, carrots and cauliflower and then pour in the hot water and lentils. Add in the zucchinis, stir in the garam masala and cream last (after all the lentils and vegetables are cooked). If not using soured cream, squeeze in some lemon juice.

This lentil curry should be a little thick so as to go well with the sausages that you add in to cook about 5-10 minutes before you serve. Basically just to heat them up and impart their lovely smoked flavour to the lentils.