Oh man. During my last trip to the Philippines and the US, I was so hooked on Jollibee’s Chicken Joy with Spaghetti that the only way to get me to stop eating it was to embark on an unofficial Filipino food tour of LA, just so I can actually diversify my food choices! Totally rad times. Everyone back home goes ape over their golden fried chicken and when paired with Filipino Spaghetti, you get to mop up the sauce with that crispy skin. You literally get chicken joy!

If you’re reading about Filipino spaghetti for the first time, let me give you the low down on the key differences between that and your traditional spaghetti. To sum it up, there are three main differences – it’s way sweeter but not sickly sweet (just how ah like it!) and secondly, there’s sliced Vienna sausages or hotdogs and lastly, there’s a an ingredient that wipes the floor clean with tastiness: banana ketchup. Ahuh, you read right. You may have seen my last sausage roll recipe using this stuff. In addition to banana ketchup, some folks like to add evaporated milk to give it that creamy texture but I like to add condensed milk. You’re probably thinking, aaahh, dude, are you making spaghetti or dulche de leche? I used to add more sugar to the recipe for that ‘X-factor’ sweetness in addition to the evaporated milk but with condensed milk, there’s no need for that homeboy! Also, I don’t like bits of onion invading my dishes but to keep it at maximum ‘flavour flav’, I opt for onion powder instead.

Rules of engagement for extreme slurp factor!

When it comes to serving this dish, I don’t engage in any type of foolery – I never ever (well I did once, sorry friends!) serve Filipino Spaghetti in a big bowl already combined with the sauce. I’ve been to countless house parties where the poor dish just sits there drying out in a big ass bowl. I swear, it loses its slurp factor! It gets cold, the spaghetti gets all mushed up from folks digging into it like they were trying to find that elusive prawn not to mention the sauce no longer juicy and crimson red.  You need to give your guests the opportunity to pour over the piping hot, sweet porkified sauce over the pasta themselves…or do it for them one plate at a time.

Do the right thing.

(Purposely styled with a green plate: Christmas Spaghetti!)

Zee Ingredients

600 gms pork mince (not lean!)

3 Vienna sausages or hotdogs sliced diagonally

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 can peeled vine ripened tomatoes

2 cups of banana ketchup (available at a Filipino grocer)

1 cup chicken liquid stock

1/4 cup condensed milk

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

Grated American cheese (to serve)

Zee Procedure

1. Boil the crap outta the pasta according to the package instructions, drain and set aside

2. Grab a frying pan, chuck it on medium heat. Squirt on some oil and add the sliced Vienna sausages. Cook for 3 minutes and set aside.

3. Chuck a saucepan on medium heat, squirt on some oil then chuck in the minced MURRRRT.  Break it up as you stir for 3 minutes.

4. Pour in the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, banana ketchup, chicken stock, salt, pepper, onion powder and turn the heat down to a simmer for a good 30-40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and breaking up the tomatoes until it has thickened.

5. Add the condensed milk and Vienna sausages then stir until combined. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Taste.

Slow cook that sauce!

You’ve Been Served!

Waaaah. I forgot to grate on some of that American cheese for this pic – make sure you don’t make the same mistake. It ain’t the same without it.

Remember, never ever serve Filipino Spaghetti in a big bowl already combined with the sauce. Let your guests do their thaaang. Oh, and don’t wear white…like I did.

Grab yo bib!

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Keep eating…LIKE CRAZAAY!

Adrian