Spaghetti, Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

  

Though the name of this pasta dish is a mouthful and sounds complicated, the preparation is not. It is one of those simple, comforting kind of meals that can go from stove to table in under 15 minutes. This traditional dish which originated around Rome is one of the fine examples of Italian rustic cooking and mostly considered a peasant dish. Aglio, the Italian word for garlic is pronounced as ah -lyoh while olio, the oil is pronounced as oh-lyoh and the spicy chili, peperoncino is pronounced as pepe- rone (say like tone) - chino. And so spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino literally means spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili pepper in Italian. 

This dish out and out belongs to 'garlic lovers' and uses loads of garlic in it while there is no place for any kind of cheese in the traditional versions. However one can add some generous amounts of  Parmesan / Romano cheeses at the final stages of cooking to make it more flavorful. The minced garlic and the red chili pepper sauteed lightly in olive oil form a lighter sauce for this humble pasta unlike the heavy cheesy / tomato based sauces. The chili pepper gives the needed kick to this dish while the generously added parsley imparts it's flavor. Any spicy, red (ripe) chili pepper can be used or in lieu of it, go with crushed chili flakes. I used 8 wholegrain spaghetti in this recipe and spaghetti can be replaced in this dish with any long pasta shapes like linguine, angel hair pasta or others.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1/2 pound / 8 oz. spaghetti
Salt to taste
3 - 4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely minced (I minced finely.)
1 chili pepper, finely sliced / dried red chili flakes to taste
3 Tbsp. minced parsley (This is entirely optional.)

Method:
* Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. There is going to be no salt in the sauce and so add salt accordingly.
* Add spaghetti and cook according to the package directions, al dente.
* Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, reserving about 2 - 3 tbsp of the pasta water.
* In the mean while, heat olive oil, garlic and chili in a frying pan, on medium heat. Cook the garlic until it starts to turn light gold in color. Add the pasta along with the reserved water to the pan. Give it a stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Turn off the stove and serve immediately.

This goes to Blogging Marathon #50, under the theme of "Pasta". Check out the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Vegetarian Thukpa

Now we move to Arunachal Pradesh, the second state in the series. Arunachal pradesh is mostly covered by Himalayas and the name of the state literally translates to "The land of the rising sun" or "The land of the dawn-lit mountains". It lies to the north eastern side of India and is the largest one among the "Seven Sister States". Natives trace their origins to Tibeto-Burman and Mongoloid race.
Food in the state is very less spicy and bland in taste. To save the nutritional value, boiling is the preferred method of cooking. Crops like rice, wheat, millet, maize and sugarcane are the popular items that are used in cooking. Lettuce and bamboo shoots are also commonly used. The people in the region are predominantly non vegetarian. Rice forms a major component of Arunachali cuisine. Rice is a staple food along with fish, meat and green vegetables. Boiled rice cakes wrapped in leaves is a popular snack.  Apong - local drink made from rice or millet is also a famous tribal delicacy. (Info:wiki and other online sources)
While exploring the cuisine, I realized that thukpas and momos are popular in the region. Thukpa is popular among the monpa tribe though not a native creation. I decided to go with a vegetarian version of thukpa and followed Asha's recipe. I replaced the egg noodles and chicken with mixed grain spaghetti and toasted tofu. Bamboo shoots would be an authentic addition but I wasn't sure whether we prefer the pungency and skipped it. My husband is not a fan of watery, bland noodle soups and preferred it with loads of ketchup. 

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock / water
1.5 to 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (I used 1 carrot, 10 green beans, 1 small potato, 1 small tomato, 2 tbsp celery cubes
1 green chili, sliced lengthwise
A fistful of spaghetti noodles 
1-2 tsp oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup tofu cubes
1/2 tsp ginger slivered 
Salt & pepper to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Bring vegetable stock or water to a boil in sauce pan. Add vegetables and green chili to the pan and cook until the vegetables are done.
* Bring half a gallon of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and spaghetti and cook until done. Drain and keep aside.
* Heat oil and toast ginger slivers until golden brown and keep aside. To the same oil, add the tofu cubes and toast until golden brown through out.
* Add the cooked spaghetti, toasted tofu cubes to the cooked veggies.
* Add salt, freshly cracked black pepper and turn off the stove. Let it sit for a minute.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve.



Check here to know what other marathoners are cooking during this BM.

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