Eating cheap in Tokyo: Pasta with eggplant, red capsicum, and feta

I started this column back in early Dec last year because I was one of those unfortunate souls who got retrenched. Officially, I was let go in October so by then I was right into the frugal life, but I wanted to keep healthy, because frankly, I had no health insurance or disposable cash to get sick.

Fast forward to today: life is much better as my beauty business is cranking along and the kangaroo got a fantastic new job. Nevertheless, I would still like to share two more recipes before I end this series. It might not be completely aligned to my new raw lifestyle but I think these are great kitchen ideas anyway.

Pasta is too easy to reach for when you just can’t be bothered. Trust me, I’ve been there. Cream-based sauces could be too heavy and you may not store them very much in your pantry as they have a limited shelf life. That’s why tomato-based sauces are any lazy person’s go-to fall back, but you know, your taste buds could be screaming, “NOT AGAIN?!”

So how do you make it less bland? Feta cheese. In the vein of recession recipes, vegetarian dishes do help you to pinch pennies.

Today’s recipe involves eggplant and red capsicum, which are widely available in Tokyo supermarkets and are cheap.

Serves two:
1 red capsicum = 258JPY
3 small eggplants = 158JPY
2 tsp feta cheese = 70JPY (one whole bottle costs about 700JPY)
Half packet of spaghetti = 75JPY
Prego Fresh Mushroom Tomato Sauce = 400JPY
Two cloves of garlic; negligible (three whole garlic bulbs cost 100JPY)
Half a white onion; negligible (four huge onions cost 158JPY)

Total time: 15 minutes

One person = 500JPY

Start boiling water for the spaghetti. Stir-fry the garlic and onion in olive oil, and then add the eggplants. Pour in the tomato sauce and simmer till the eggplants soften. Do feel free to sprinkle black pepper and herbs (oregano, basil, parsley work well) at this point. Toss in the capsicum, as it will cook much faster than the eggplants and then stir in the feta. Your pasta may be ready by now, so just serve the sauce piping hot on a bed of spaghetti.

Honestly, when I made this, my fridge was pitifully empty, so I threw in the feta just because I had no meat and it gave the tomato sauce a deep savoury kick. My meat-lovin’ kangaroo smacked his lips over this one — too easy and absolutely delicious.

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