Sardines' rougail

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If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know by now that my husband is from the Reunion Island. If not, now you know.
This is a typical dish that you can eat there. It is very simple, spicy and delicious. Really, you can’t go wrong with this one.

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The recipe asked for canned sardines so that is what I used but you can definitely use some fresh sardines too. Problems with fresh would be spines.

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I put a tiny bit of chili in my meal because you’re supposed to eat it with chili paste that you put directly into your plate (thanks to my mother-in-law that are regularly sending us supplies).
Before going to the Reunion Island two years ago, I barely ate chili, I hated too spicy dish. But things have changed, I slowly grew to like it and now I understand WHY chili is important.
My favorite chili paste is the one with lemon in it, oh good god, spicy and tangy. Perfect.

I look forward to our next trip there in October to get some heavy supplies!

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Sardines’ rougail (serves 4) :

  • 3 cans of sardines in oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp curcuma/turmeric
  • 1 piece of ginger (~15g)
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 to 2 chilis (optional)
  • Salt

Peel your onion, garlic and ginger. Mince the onion.

Mash together garlic, ginger, salt and chilis (if used).

Crush tomatoes. Open the canned sardines and keep the oil aside.

Put 2 tbsp of oil in a stewpot or big pan and heat it.

When it’s hot, add onion that you’ll fry for 2/3 minutes, then mashed spices for 1 or  2 minutes.

Add the curcuma/turmeric and the tomatoes. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are well cooked.

Then add your sardines and crush them coarsely with a fork, keep big chunks. Let cook 1 minute without lid.

Stir carefully and devour hot with white rice and chili paste !