18
April 2016
MVINEWS.COM
MetroVan Independent News
FOOD
Spicy Vegan Marinara
INGREDIENTS
Photo by Tota Mendez
Spicy Vegan Marinara.
EASY & DELICIOUS
By Tota Mendez
I have cut down my meat consumption
in attempt to go Vegan for a change. It is
good once in a while to have a Vegan dinner
on a weekend. You can also make this dish
ahead of time to enjoy on a weeknight. I
love eggplants and mushrooms. These
vegetables are my absolute favorite! I love
anything chili. This combination will sweep
you off your feet.
I always make my own Marinara Sauce
simply because it’s cheaper and you can
control the amount of sodium in it. You can
make a big batch of Marinara Sauce and
freeze it. It is so easy to make. You can
pretty much add anything in the sauce like
meatballs, prawns and even chicken. As for
the pasta, you can use any kind of pasta
but I prefer Spaghetti noodles. You can
also try Gluten Free Pasta which is now
easily available in the grocery aisle.
This dish tastes better the next day. It is
delicious, healthy and quite decadent with
a glass of red wine. It is after all a work of
art in the kitchen.
Directions:
1. Place cut up eggplant in a bowl and
salt. Mix together and put eggplant
with salt in a colander to help drain
out some of the moisture from the
eggplant. Place the colander on a
bigger bowl to catch moisture. Leave
it for 30 minutes.
2. Now it’s time to make the Marinara
Sauce. In a sauce pan on medium
heat, add the oil and onions. Let the
onions caramelize for about 3 to 5
minutes. Add garlic, thyme and basil.
Saute for about a minute or two. Add
ground pepper and chili flakes. Sauté
for another minute.
3. Carefully add Crushed Tomatoes and
water in pan. Mix well. Add sugar
and salt. Turn heat down to medium
low and let it simmer for another 45
minutes.
4. While the sauce is simmering, start
making the Vegetable Meat. Pat dry
the eggplant with paper towel and
set aside.
5. In a frying pan, add oil in medium
high heat. Add eggplant and garlic.
Sauté until the eggplant is golden
brown for about 5 to 10 minutes. Add
mushrooms and sauté for another 2
to 3 minutes. Turn off heat and set
aside.
6. Add the sautéed vegetables in the
sauce and mix well.
7. Top your favorite cooked pasta with
the sauce and sprinkle with grated
cheese. Pair it with your favorite Red
Wine.
Happy eating, Vegan Lovers!
Tota Mendez is a musician and avid food
lover originally from Manila, Philippines.
Her recipes are inspired from her days of
traveling all over the world which is mostly
Asian Cuisine.