Tomato cilantro pasta sauce

Dried chilli pepper

On our trip to Costa Rica last year I acquired some kind of dried chilli pepper. We ate at a small restaurant and the pasta sauce had a brilliant smoky spicy flavor, I totally fell in love with! The chef there was really nice and when I asked him about it, he handed me a small plastic bag with a bunch of these dried chilli peppers. Too excited about my acquisition, i did not have the presence of mind to ask about the details of these peppers. :-|

Occasionally I make pasta sauce with these smoky hot little bombs of flavor! I hope that I find out what these peppers are called, so that when I run out of my stash, I could actually identify them and buy some ;) I'm posting a pic of the chilli pepper, anyone knows what it is?
Add any dry red chilly pepper per your taste or add any other form of heat you'd like : red chilly flakes, green chillies, jalapeno etc etc. 

Other than the chilli pepper, this sauce is very simple, like an Indian marinara sauce. Lots of cilantro, garlic, onions and tomatoes are all cooked together. Add different veggies like celery, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms to make a veggie rich sauce - minus the extra sodium and preservatives in store bought sauces. You could make a chunky version by chopping the vegetables or a smooth version by pulsing the veggies thru a food processor.
Try using fresh vegetables and fresh tomatoes. The fresh taste is really great!

What you need :
Tomatoes 3 medium ripe
Onion 1/2 medium
Garlic 5-8 cloves
Mixed veggies -optional
Water or vegetable stock : 1-2 cups
Cilantro - I added about a large handful. Add as per your taste OR use other herbs of choice
Hot peppers or chilli powder - coarsely powdered in a mortar and pestle
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Haldi/turmeric powder - optional. I used it for color.
Salt
Sugar 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method :
Finely chop the onion and garlic.
Pulse the veggies and tomatoes(including cilantro) in a food processor to yield a slightly chunky puree.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add the garlic and fry till its fragrant.
Add in the onions and cook till raw smell goes away.
Add the red chilli pepper powder/flakes.
Next, add the tomato and veggie puree. Fry for about 5-6 mins stirring.
Add in the water/vegetable stock, seasoning, salt and sugar. Bring it to a boil.
Simmer on low heat for about 30-40 mins till all the flavors are well blended.
Blend it for a smooth sauce if desired.

Serve with any pasta. :)