Thick pork sausages browned and simmered in Japanese curry sauce with onion, carrot and green apple. A 20-minute weeknight curry that gets better the next day.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
This is a nostalgic dish for me. Mum would make this during the winter months and it was always a hearty and comforting dinner. It's basically pork sausages in a curry sauce that's served over rice.
Now, I'v tweaked the recipe over the years so it's a little different to the once I grew up with. It still has the same main ingredients but we're using a Japanese curry sauce. You can make a curry sauce from scratch but using a curry cube is a great shortcut and I think it tastes just as good.
Ingredient Notes
Japanese curry cubes: A ready-made roux and spice blend in cube form. They dissolve into the cooking liquid to give a thick, glossy, mildly spiced sauce without having to build a spice blend from scratch. I use the S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix. The medium heat level works well here, but mild or hot also work depending on your preference. Find it at Asian grocery stores or major supermarkets in the Asian aisle.
Thick pork sausages: Thickness matters. Thin sausages will overcook and fall apart during the simmering time. Thick, butcher-style pork sausages hold their shape and stay juicy through the full cook. Beef sausages work just as well if you prefer. Whatever you use, leave them whole through the entire cook and cut them at the table or just before serving.
Green apples: Two whole apples sounds like a lot, but they mostly break down during the final simmer and integrate into the sauce rather than sitting as distinct chunks. They contribute sweetness and a mild acidity that balances the richness of the Japanese curry. Green apples are better here than red; they’re less sweet, hold their shape a fraction longer, and their sharpness does more work against the fat in the sauce.
Equipment
- Heavy-based frying pan or wide saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Chef’s knife and chopping board
- Kitchen scales
Ingredients
- tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, peanut)
- 8 thick pork sausages
-
sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled, chopped
- 2 green apples, cored, chopped large chunks
- 2 cups (500ml) water
-
92g Japanese curry stock cubes
- Steamed rice, to serve
Directions
Heat oil in a heavy based frying pan on medium-high.
- Cook sausages for 5 minutes, turning, until browned all over.
- Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add carrots and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring.
- Stir in water and stock cubes, bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve stock.
Simmer for 5 minutes and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Add apples, stir to combine and continue simmering for a further 5 minutes.
- Serve curry on steamed rice.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Brown the sausages properly before adding anything else
Take the full 5 minutes to get a deep, even brown on the sausages all over. Don’t rush it or just get a light colour. That browning builds flavour that transfers to the sauce when the water and stock cubes go in and dissolve all the residue off the base of the pan. If the pan dries out and the fond starts to catch while you’re cooking the onions, add a small splash of water and scrape it up before it burns.
Keep the sausages whole through the entire cook
Don’t cut or slice the sausages before cooking. Cutting them first lets the internal fat and juices run out into the sauce during the simmer, which makes the sausage pieces dry and slightly grainy. Kept whole, they stay juicy all the way through. Cut them on the plate or just before serving. If you’re making this ahead of time, leave the sausages whole in the sauce until you’re ready to reheat and serve.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
FAQs
Can I use beef or chicken sausages instead of pork? Yes. Beef sausages have enough fat to hold up well through the simmering time and work just as well as pork. Chicken sausages are leaner and cook through faster, so reduce the overall simmering time by a few minutes and check they’re cooked through.
Why use Japanese curry cubes instead of curry powder? Japanese curry cubes contain a pre-made roux which thickens the sauce as it dissolves, so you end up with a glossy, cohesive curry without making a spice blend or a separate roux from scratch. The flavour is mild, slightly sweet and very consistent between batches. If you prefer to use curry powder, fry 2 tablespoons of good curry powder with the onions, then mix 1 tablespoon of plain flour into 2 tablespoons of butter and stir that in with the water to thicken.
