Curried Sausages with Orzo

To me, February marks the last legs of winter. It's still super cold outside, you still want to bundle up in a scarf and drink hot tea. Maybe you are snuggled up on the sofa, with a blanket and a book...you don't really want to move. But you're hungry, but you long for something warm and easy, comforting in a way. A meal that warms you up from the inside, full of subtle spices and filling ingredients. Well I have the answer and you can make it for under five pounds, leaves you money for more books, blankets and enough time to immerse yourself back in to that daydream you were just having.

This dish comes from a place of learning, I have studied the world of Indian spices for a little while now. I bought a book called The Spice Tree and I have discovered all different levels of depth within spice mixes from different cultures. I think a curry is so personal, you can adapt and modify it to your taste. So if you find yourself making this dish and you like a bit of heat, or a lot more heat, you live for cumin or thrive on the taste of garam masala, adapt as you wish.

Serves 4Prep time: 10 minsCook time: 25 mins

ingredients

• 4 sausages
• 150g orzo
• 1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 2 white onions, finely chopped
• Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, very finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 and a half tins of water
• 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 2 and a half tblsp vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Coriander, to garnish (optional)

directions

1. Add oil to a medium pan over a medium heat, once hot add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until golden and softened (about 4 minutes.)
2. Add your spices and mix.
3. Squeeze sausage meat from skin, crumbling in as you go. Or you could cut it in to chunks or slices.
4. Cook until browned, around 5 minutes.
5. Add tin of chopped tomatoes and water, and then orzo. Place a lid on your pan and leave to cook on just past simmer for ten minutes.
6. Remove lid and add handfuls of spinach, cook for a further 2 minutes.
7. Season to taste.

Shopping list: 6 pack sausages £1.89 Aldi, 500g pack Orzo 77p Morrisons, tinned chopped tomatoes 29p Lidl, 100g fresh ginger 27p Lidl, 250g fresh spinach 89p Lidl, 1kg white onions 55p Lidl.Total: £4.66