Homemade Pasta/Spaghetti Sauce with Meat

I’m so excited to share this recipe. I learned it from my dad a long time ago during my junior high school years. I really love how the mixture of herbs and spice, balanced perfectly with the tomato sauce.

Back then, I rarely cooked so, I really sucked at it!. I could never get the taste right, and it just tastes like…plain tomato paste!. I always end up calling dad to come to fix it for me, lol. It’s a recipe I enjoy making for my family (and friends) and, I think this recipe isn’t the hardest thing to make. Over the years I have been messing around with the recipe a bit. The end result is what I’ve put here. Give it a try!

Note: Kaffir lime leave can be a little tricky to find but, mainly Thai grocery stores carry them. You can also try looking at other Southeast Asian stores and Indian stores as well, though. 

Homemade Pasta/Spaghetti Sauce with Meat

Ingredients:

• 170g(or as preferred)        Ground beef
• 2 Cloves                                Garlic (minced)
• 1 cup                                      Onion (diced)
• 4-6                                          Mushroom
• 1 small                                   Eggplant(make 1 cup)
• 2.5ml/cc (1/2 tsp)               Brown sugar
• 1 cube                                    Chicken stock (Knorr brand)
• 1 cube                                    Beef stock (Knorr brand)
• 1 small                                  Chilli pepper (minced)
• 2 jars (340g, a jar)             Pasta/Tomato sauce (I like, “Italiano Ristorante“)
• a little over 1.2ml/cc (1/4 tsp)                Basil
• a little over 1.2ml/cc (1/4 tsp)                Thyme (optional)
• a little over 1.2ml/cc (1/4 tsp)                Oregano (optional)
• a little over 1.2ml/cc (1/4 tsp)                Kaffir lime leaf (optional)

I don’t necessarily have an exact measurement for the herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, kaffir leaf). Normally, I give it a quick 10-12 dashes for each of the herbs. The amount is up to your liking. However, you don’t want to add too much or else the whole thing will taste nothing else, but herbs!.

Directions:

1. Mince the garlic, chili pepper and, dice the onions. and set them aside.
2. Cut the mushrooms as you like and, cut the eggplant into about 1/2 to 1-inch rectangles/squares. Set both aside.
3. With the kaffir leaf, the stem that runs through the center is a bit tough to eat so, separate the center stem with a sharp knife, and discard. Afterward, do it any way you like, but you have to mince it really well. What I do is chop it as thin as possible, and afterward mince it.
4. In a pot/pan, add a small amount of oil (2.5ml/cc or 1/2 tsp).
5. Set the heat between low-medium and wait a couple seconds until the pan starts to get hot.
6. Add the garlic, onion, and saute until the garlic turns a light golden color.
7. Add the ground beef, and continue to saute until about 80% of the beef is cooked.
8. Add the jar(s) pasta/tomato sauce, and mix.
9. Add in the eggplants and mix for a couple seconds, then add in the sliced mushrooms, and slowly mix well. Be gentle with the mix so the mushrooms slices don’t break. Mix for an extra minute.
10. Break up the cubes of chicken and beef stock, then add that to the pan.
11. Add the brown sugar in, and mix.
12. Add the basil, thyme, oregano, kaffir and, mix everything really well.
13. Place the lid on the pan and let it sit on the stove for 7-10 minutes, under LOW heat. Check the sauce occasionally for the eggplant to be thoroughly cooked. Once the eggplant skin goes from purple to a dull almost brown color, then you can turn off the stove, and let it sit there until your ready to use it for your pasta/spaghetti.

Enjoy!

Optional:

Before you’re ready to eat. Add a tiny squeeze or spoon of mayonnaise on your plate, and mix it with your sauce and pasta. It just brings the whole flavor to a new level!.