For The Love Of Food: Making Spaghetti With A Twist I

Aren't you tired of making soggy white spaghetti with stew? It's boring and not half as tasty as spaghetti has the potential to be. Why not up your game from that regular spaghetti meal to something a lot nicer? I don't know what to call this recipe yet, but believe me, it's a delight!

Ingredients(4 to 6 servings)

1 sachet of Spaghetti (I prefer Bonita, its thinner and a lot less starchy than the other brands)

1 small tin of tomatoes.

1 large onion

Fresh tomatoes

Fresh scotch bonnet/rodo peppers (as much as you can manage)

Seasoning cubes

Salt to taste

2 large carrots (diced)

Green peas (1 cup)

Sweet corn (1 cup)

1kg Meat/fish (chicken, turkey, beef.. etc)

Green pepper (optional).

Ground nut or vegetable oil about 10 to 15 cl

How To Whip It Up!

Parboil the meat and fish with all the necessary ingredients - 2 Knorr cubes, salt, onions and maybe a little of ground nutmeg, Parboiling the meat (either chicken, turkey or cow meat) alone is a good practice, you get the chance to extract the juice from the meat which is an integral part of Nigerian cooking.

Slice the fresh tomatoes, peppers and onions and set aside. You can cook the spaghetti full length in a large pot or break it up into smaller pieces (I personally prefer full length). Do not add spaghetti to cold water, let the water boil, add some oil (to prevent clumping) and some salt before putting in the spaghetti. Don't let the spaghetti cook, just parboil for 5-6 minutes and then drain in a colander.

For The Sauce...

You are going to saute the sauce. This is a cooking method which involves stir frying under low heat. Heat eat up the oil and add in the sliced onions, stir fry it for a bit, follow with tomato paste (pre mixed with a little water), then add in the sliced tomatoes and peppers. Next add in your protein ingredients (meat/fish) and add in the stock from it, follow with seasoning ube and salt to taste. Saute till the sauce thickens and there is little water in the mix.

Now, throw in the spaghetti, stir gently but thoroughly and cook for about 2-3 minutes till it is almost soft then add the diced carrots, green peas and sweetcorn, stir it all in, turn of the heat and cover the pot with a lid to let it steam a bit.

Voila! Spaghetti Delightful is ready to be served! (Nice name?)

Bon appetit!