Rihaakuru pasta

First of all, My heart is heavy about the school shooting that happened in Texas. I know there are so many kids already dying in War-torn Syria, and Afganistan and even Ukraine. But no child should die, regardless of their race, gender or religion. It's a child for crying out loud, what is his or her crime? 

My heart goes out to any parent who loses their child too soon, not even too soon to be alive when your own child dies before you is heartbreaking. 

Anyway, today's recipe is inspired by a similar recipe that was shared by a recipe shared by a friend of mine. This recipe is a fusion pasta recipe, where rihaakuru or fish paste is used to make the sauce.  I used that recipe and also Marion Grasby's pantry pasta as a guide. 

So one afternoon I decided to make this recipe, just for myself, both boys were having lunch at school and hubby was on duty, so why not right? 

Recipe: Rihaakuru Pasta for one

Ingredients

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 fat clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 tiny piece of scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped ( depends on how spicy you like it)

6 curry leaves, roughly chopped or torn up

1/2 tbsp rihaakuru

1/4 cup water

Some canned tuna. I used a little less than 1/2 can., flaked

a good handful of spaghetti

water to cook the spaghetti, 

salt

thelulifaiy to serve

Vegetable oil 3 tbsp

Instructions : 

1. Bring a large pan with water to boil, add 2 tsp salt and add the spaghetti and cook until al dente', drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large frying pan or wok, and fry the onions until they start to go translucent.

3. Add the garlic, curry leaves and scotch bonnet pepper. Cook for a minute or so. 

4. Now stir in the rihaakuru and mix it into the onion mixture along with  a little water.  Then flake in the tuna and stir it around. Add half of the pasta water that you reserved into the sauce and let it come simmer a few minutes.

5. Stir in the pasta and toss it well. Add in the remaining pasta water, so you get a nice loose texture, just enough to cling the sauce to the pasta. 

I didn't add cheese, because its already got a lot of sauce and I don't think the cheese and rihaakuru will pair well. 

When serving stir in theluli faiy ( fried moringa leaf mixture)into the pasta and serve immediately.  

A little lime juice right at the end really brings out the flavors.