Tomato Beef Pasta + Clear Daikon Soup

This pasta sauce looks much better than the previous Tomato-Chicken Curry Sauce. Like how Chef Michael Symon judges a winning burger by its form factor: bun to patty ratio, I guess it also applies to a decent pasta: pasta to sauce ratio.

Previously, there is just too little sauce. I usually don't use canned tomatoes of any sorts when I cook my pasta sauce. I start it off with fresh tomatoes. Evidently, such a sauce may not be as rich as that served in pasta cafes/restaurants, but I do enjoy the wholesome-ness of homemade sauce with solely fresh tomatoes. Personal preference, really. How about you?



Beefy Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients: 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1/4 onion, finely diced; 1tsp curry powder; some ground beef (Note: I am using beef to add flavors rather than bulk/protein into the dish); fresh crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1-2 whole tomatoes, diced to bite-sizes; salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Fry the garlic, onions and curry powder till fragrant. Add ground beef and combine well. Add tomatoes and fry with the beef mixture. Add mushrooms, fry to combine. Then add tomatoes and a little water/stock for the entire sauce mixture and flavors to combine. Simmer till the ingredients are cooked. Salt and black pepper to taste. Add in cooked pasta and toss well.

Pair with favorite veggies on the side.



I'm getting this to Jen from Taste of Home, host for Presto Pasta Nights this week.

About simplification of already-simple dishes like the pasta above, I also attempted to make a clear daikon soup one day, without the chicken. Some green onions and Japanese Dried Ebi (Shrimps), that was it.



Clear Daikon Soup
Ingredient: 2 green onions, finely diced, separate white and green portions; 1 tsp Japanese dried ebi; 1 daikon, peeled, thinly sliced; salt and white pepper to taste

Directions: Add 1/2 tsp oil in a pot to pre-fry the white portions of green onions and dried shrimps. When add stock/broth or water and add in daikon pieces, making sure there is enough liquid to submerge the daikon pieces. Simmer at low heat till daikon is cooked. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remaining green onions before serving.

With a few ingredients, this is not a soup big and bold on the flavors. But if you wish for something light, it may just be it.

 


Personally, I think it pairs well with fried rice. The soup is submitted to Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen.

Tag: daikon, soup, daikon soup, tomato pasta

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