A question about a recipe: Tandoori Chicken Sausage

I have a question about step 1 on the recipe "Tandoori Chicken Sausage" from VivekS. It says:

"First, you have to cook the masala. Heat some canola oil in a pot over medium heat and add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves. Allow the aromas to fill your kitchen and for the spices to toast a little. Add the grated onion and tomatoes. Season with salt and cook until nicely brown and caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the turmeric and cayenne pepper and cook for another minute. Add the yogurt, garlic, ginger, serrano chiles, lime juice and garam masala. Cook the masala until it is completely dry and there is no visible moisture. This is key to ensuring your sausage becomes the correct texture. The finished masala should look like a seasoning paste."
It seems like a step is missing. Shouldn't the spices be ground at some point? I can't imagine stuffing a sausage and having the cinnamon stick still be whole?

asked by kitchensolo over 1 year ago