This is another very simple dish. I intended to post a Mediterranean recipe, specifically hummous, but that entails tahini or sesame seed paste. Hummous is not very difficult to make but it’s not a one-pot dish. I’ll post that sometime in the future. In the meantime, I’d like to cater to the neophyte cooks reading this blog while still keeping with the Mediterranean theme. So friends, let’s start with our lesson for the day (tee hee hee, once a teacher, forever one!).

Soups are an important part of any cuisine. Can one imagine Filipino cooking without sinigang? Thai without thom yum soup? Chinese without nido soup? French without hearty consommés?
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Here’s making good my promise to post simple recipes this week. Here’s the initial offering. This spicy pasta sauce is an excellent option when vegetarian guests are expected. It also goes well with meat dishes such as fried chicken or barbeque. Served with a tossed green salad and some red wine, it makes for a simple yet elegant meal. However, this may not sit well with children. In that case, instead of chillies, substitute with a cup of capsicum (bell pepper) strips or a cup of finely minced anchovies (I use our native dried dilis, crushed with a mortar and pestle or ground with a food processor). If using anchovies, vegetarians can still partake of it but strict vegans will not.

Don’t forget the tips for peeling tomatoes: drop them for 60 seconds in a pan of boiling water with the heat turned off. Upon retrieving, run them under tap or cold water. They would be much easier to peel. Take out most of the juice and the seeds as this is what makes for an acidic sauce.

For mincing chillies, make sure you use kitchen gloves when handling them. Or use a fork to keep them in place when slicing thinly with a knife. Strong chillies can sting for a long time, some for days.
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