Way To His Heart

I realise my level of attractiveness takes a sizable plummet as I finally graduate: as doctors, we neglect our personal hygiene because public hospitals are so busy one may not even have time to shower during an overnight call, life beyond our inhumanly long calls will be spent catching up on sleep instead of with friends over drinks, and any men with potential in our laughably small social circles will likely pick someone with shaved legs and a less intimidating occupation, i.e. a nurse.

In order to keep my game up, I've started cooking because we all know that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The truth is it's probably via an organ further down south, but let's keep this blog remotely PG-rated and learn to make minced lamb pasta instead.

Please note that this is a cooking a guide for noobs that will hence be written in exquisite (unnecessary) detail. The following recipe was adapted from one of Nigella Lawson's. 'Adapted' is a professional way of admitting that I may or may not have forgotten one or two ingredients, while tweaking the amount of others. Here is what you will need:

If you are keen on saving some 婆乸數, certain things can be bought at a wet market...

- 3 tomatoes

- One and a half onions

- 4 cloves of garlic

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- Salt to taste

Others at a small local supermarket...

- 2 cans plum tomatoes

- 3/4 packs of linguine (or spaghetti if you prefer)

- 1 tablespoon tomato puree

- 250ml red wine (I've tried this with Merlot and Cabernet - both worked fine)

- Olive oil

Everything else you will have better luck finding at Citysuper...

- 500g minced lamb

- Oregano (4 tablespoons fresh or 2 dried)

- 200g feta cheese (you want the crumbly type, which is also the cheaper of the two options at the fresh cheese counter)

The Way To His Heart series: Minced Lamb Pasta

4-5 large servings

Requires 1ish hours but most of the time you are free to do other things (see step 8)

1. I know, you're thinking who needs to cook if you marry rich? Well, the point here is it's sexy for a girl to be able to cook, so throw on a racy apron.

2. Chop your garlic as finely as you can without compromising the number of fingers in your possession. Roughly dice your onions and tomatoes. 

3. Drizzle olive oil into your medium-sized pot and swirl the pot around so that its base is mostly covered. Set on medium heat and throw in your garlic, onions and half the oregano. Keep stirring for 5-7 minutes so as not to burn anything.

4. Add lamb, bring to high heat and stir until it becomes brown.

5. Add wine and let it cook until mixture bubbles.

6. Have someone take a picture of you cooking as proof.

7. Add everything else (except pasta and cheese!). Turn the heat just low enough to prevent everything from bubbling over. Let it cook uncovered for at least another 30 minutes, then put the lid over the pot and continue to let stew until it reaches desired consistency.

8. While that's cooking, freshen up your manicure/shave your legs/tweeze your nostrils.

9. Cook your pasta. While it is boiling, prepare your feta by smooshing it in a bowl with a fork.

10. Serve pasta with sauce. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over it.

Took a picture without the cheese because it didn't look good, but it really does elevate the flavours that much more. Tastes even better overnight - wink, wink. Enjoy!