Everyone has those days when they need nurturing comfort food, but don't want to spend more time in the kitchen than on the couch. I recently had one of those days when the bi-polar California weather went from 78 and clear to 54 and rainy within 24 hours. I came up with a dish that combines the comforting flavors and texture of spaghetti with the ginger-y, peanut-y, and spicy flavors of Thai food. It really hit the spot.
But you know what? This dish would be great as a quick lunch or a party entree without the hassle. Although my recipe is made for 1 hungry hockey fan, you can easily scale the recipe up based on how many people you plan to serve.
Get this. It only takes 5-15 minutes before you're back on the couch and doing a 'Friends' DVD marathon. Don't believe me? I have proof after the break.
Easy Cheesy Thai Comfort Pasta
Cooking Time: 5 minutes (if using leftover pasta), 15 minutes (if cooking pasta to order)
Yield: 1 hungry person
Ingredients:
1½ cup spaghetti (cooked)
1½-2 tbsp tomato paste
1½-2 tbsp Trader Joe's Thai curry red sauce (or any brand, usually found on ethnic aisle)
1-1½ tsp sriracha sauce
1 tbsp water
(to taste) pepper jack cheese
(garnish) scallion, thinly sliced
Instructions:
1) Bring a sautee pan up to medium-low heat
2) Add cooked pasta, tomato paste, thai curry sauce, water, and sriracha sauce to pan. Stir throughly until heated to desired temperature.
3) Transfer pasta to a bowl and top with pepper jack cheese. You can add thinly sliced scallions and a few more drops of sriracha as garnish. If you have them, chopped peanuts would also be a great garnish that adds some crunch.
