There's Rice At Home: Easy-Peasy Shrimp Jollof Pasta
As at 7 hours ago, news broke that pump prices in Nigeria might hit an all-time high of N617/litre. This means different things to us all as a nation, but over here at EatDrinkHQ, it especially means there might be (read: a lot) more nights spent in. ’Tis the season of tranquil evenings spent at home, trying new recipes you’ve long bookmarked on Instagram and convincing yourself your 30s are for self-reflection, not jumping up and down to be drinking N12000 cocktails.
On one of those nights, if you’re in the mood for a meaty, tomato-ey pasta feast, try this 30-minute shrimp pasta recipe of mine. As long as you don’t overcook the shrimp or undersalt the tortiglioni, you should end up with a plate of utter deliciousness — worthy of any Netflix binge.
Shrimp Jollof Pasta
Note: This recipe feeds 2 people. Double the ingredient portions if you’re cooking for a bigger crowd or are a hungry fellow.
INGREDIENTS
250g of tortiglioni (or your preferred pasta)
150g of minced beef
2 handfuls of de-shelled shrimp
1 50g sachet of tomato paste
4 medium tomatoes
6 red bell peppers or tatashe
2 medium-sized onions
3 small scotch bonnets
2 scoops of butter (optional, but everything’s better with butter)
Chopped spring onions (to garnish)
DIRECTIONS
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, bell peppers, scotch bonnets, and one onion until chunky but well combined.
Heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil in a wide pan and fry the tomato paste.
In a separate bowl, season the minced beef with salt, thyme, stock powder, white pepper, and half of a chopped onion.
Marinate the shrimp in a teaspoon of oyster sauce and chopped/pureed garlic.
Add the blended tomato mix to the pan with the tomato paste. Season with salt, garlic, thyme, curry, and stock powder. Cook on medium heat, stirring intermittently, until the oil rises to the surface and the sauce is cooked through.
Add the seasoned minced beef to the sauce and cook together on low heat for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, fry the shrimp in a tablespoon of oil for 2-3 minutes total.
In a pot of well-salted, boiling water, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Once it's cooked, strain it.
Transfer the strained pasta into the sauce, along with the shrimp and minced meat. Mix all the components well.
Add half a scoop of butter to the pasta mix. Optionally, add a few splashes of dark soy sauce for extra flavour. Stir well.
Garnish the pasta with chopped, fresh spring onions and serve.
Eat up!
