Version from France · family rougail
rougail — France
In Réunion, rougail often means rougail saucisses: smoked sausages simmered in a tomato, onion and ginger sauce, spiced with chili and served with rice and lentils.
This version belongs to the family rougail, which holds 2 versions placed elsewhere. None is presented as the original.
- 20 min
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 4
- Servings
- Easy
- Difficulty
Though the word 'rougail' first names a spiced condiment, on Réunion it is also used for a full simmered dish built around it, most commonly rougail saucisses: smoked pork sausages browned then simmered in a sauce of onion, garlic, ginger and tomato, sharpened with chili.
This dish is reported from Réunion Island (France), where it sits alongside rougail morue (salt cod) among the island's everyday carry-style dishes, generally served with white rice and a side of lentils or red beans.
To prepare it, the sausages are pricked and briefly boiled or browned to render some fat, then simmered gently in a sauce of onion, garlic, ginger and crushed tomato, seasoned with thyme, chili and turmeric, until the sausages are tender and the sauce has thickened.
The choice of sausage (fresh or smoked, pork or a mix), the level of heat, and how thick the sauce is left, more tomato-forward or thinned with water, vary from one cook to another; the accompanying pulses can be lentils, red beans or white beans.
Preparation
Prick the sausages and boil them briefly in water to remove excess fat, then drain.
Brown the sausages lightly in oil, then set them aside.
In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion, garlic and ginger until softened.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chili and turmeric, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the sausages to the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Serve hot with steamed rice and lentils or red beans.
