Asian Pasta
In this fusion-inspired recipe, I combine the rich umami of gochujang, the savory depth of fish sauce, and the aromatic touch of star anise in this Asian Pasta. It has bold, yet distinctive flavours of Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese flair. It's so tasty, you will love this!
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pot
- Frying pan or wok
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef lean
- 1 lb ground pork medium
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 whole star anise
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 800 g canned whole tomatoes
- 1 lb pasta your favourite shape
- ½ cup pasta water
- 5 fresh basil leaves sliced thinly
- Parmesan cheese grated, to serve
- cilantro optional, garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the meat. Over high heat, spread ground beef in pan. Allow to sear for 5 minutes until a golden colour appears. Add ground pork and break up with spatula. Stir until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make the sauce. Add garlic to the meat and cook for one minute. Add in gochujang and tomato paste. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low to medium. Next, add light soy sauce, fish sauce, star anise, sugar and canned tomatoes. Break up tomatoes with spatula. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta. In the meantime, boil salted water and cook your favourite pasta until al dente. I use penne today. This recipe works well with spaghetti and rigotoni.
- Serve and garnish. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to sauce. Add in basil. Toss pasta and sauce until well combined. Divide into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and cilantro, if using.
Video
Notes
Taste the sauce before adding it to the pasta and adjust the quantities of gochujang, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar to achieve a balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and savoury flavors.
Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure that meat cooks evenly and develops a nice sear.
Serve this pasta with a side of salad.
Make sure to only cook the pasta to al dente. Overcooking the pasta will result in mushy noodles.
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