Aubergine in Sauteed Shrimp paste

This is a very simple but delicious Filipino side dish mostly paired with fried fish. Shrimp paste or Bagoong is a common dip or sauce in the Philippines with a myriad of versions (using shrimp, fish or even shellfsh) from different provinces.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

3 tbsps. olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 aubergine (eggplant), cubed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

shrimp paste or Bagoong

freshly ground black pepper

LET’S COOK:

Heat the olive oil in a preheated wok. Add the garlic and shrimp/fish paste to the wok and stir for 3 minutes. Add the onion and aubergine to the wok and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until the aubergine is a bit tender. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

*Variation:

If you want to serve this as a vegetarian main meal, add cubed tofu (bean curd) to the wok.

*Serves 4

Bon Appetit and Cheers! =]

Creamy Noodle Pasta

I’ll start off with a quick and simple dish. If you ran out of your regular pasta and all that’s left is for chicken noodle soup don’t fret. Here’s a quick and yummy option for your pasta cravings or for an instant snack. (shown above is not the baked version)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

225 g/8oz. noodle pasta

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

175 g/6 oz. of sausages, sliced and/or

400g/14 oz. tuna in brine, drained and flaked

2 tbsp. cornflour (cornstarch)

425 ml/15 fl. oz./ 13/4 cups skimmed milk

*(If you want to bake it in the oven):

4 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly

25 g/1 oz. fresh breadcrumbs

25 g/1 oz. reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

LET’S COOK:

The Pasta:

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain well.

The Sauce:

Heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet) and fry all of the sausages, until a bit done. Place the cooked pasta in a bowl and mix in the sausages and/or tuna. Set aside. Blend the cornflour (cornstarch) with a little milk to make a paste. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan and stir in the paste. Heat, stirring, until the sauce begins to thicken. Season well. Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and stir until well-combined.

*If you want to bake it:

Transfer to the base of an ovenproof gratin dish and place on a baking sheet (cookie sheet). Arrange the tomato slices over the pasta and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

*Serves four

Bon Appetit and Cheers! =]