Cheap Dinner Challenge

With a lack of funds, due to excessive over spending and my depressing salary, I embarked on a cooking challenge.  Dinner for two people, for 7 nights, no going out to eat, no ordering in, budget of only 40 pesos and my pathetic excuse of a pantry that was barely stocked.  I’ll spare you the excitement (as I am sure you are at the edge of your seat) and let you know that I failed the challenge on the second day.  I’ve never been one to live up to my promises. I did, however, somewhat stick to the plan and managed to make some really quick, easy, cheap, tasty meals out of the ingredients I already had, I’m so economical.

Spicy Sesame Ginger Noodles (Photo above)
Time: how long does it take to boil water?
Ingredients: Whole wheat noodles, 2 chopped green onions, tiny piece (few teaspoons) chopped ginger, 3 t sesame oil, chili flakes, 1 TBL oyster sauce, 3 TBL soy sauce, few T brown sugar
Directions: While noodles are boiling, chopped ginger and onions.  Whisk up a light sauce using oyster sauce, soy, brown sugar, chili flakes.  Once noodles are ready pour in strainer and immediately cool with water.  In the same small pot, heat up sesame oil until hot and throw in ginger and onions, mixing around until fragrant.  Toss in noodles and listen to the sizzling sound, mixing around to coat the noodles in the oil.  Turn off heat and add in the sauce, mixing well.
Cost: AR$0 pesos. Had all ingredients at home.

Grilled Vegetable Flat Bread
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients: Pre-made pizza crust, any kind of grilled vegetables (I had 1/2 eggplant, 1/3 of a too old zucchini, tomato), El Galpón’s Organic cheese, garlic powder, red pepper flakes
Directions: Pre-heat the oven.  While heating, cut the eggplant into long thin slices, lightly salt and let sit – you need to salt an eggplant for two reasons… firstly it pulls out the juices that carry bitter flavors and secondly the sponge-like flesh has air pockets, but since the salt collapses the pockets, it prevents it from absorbing too much oil and getting greasy. Since these eggplants are cut so thin, it doesn’t have to sit for too long.  Next slice zucchini.  Spray or lightly oil the pan and roast veggies until brown, but not burn and take out of the oven.  Then, top the pizza dough with veggies, sliced tomatoes, chunks of cheese, and seasonings.  Place in oven until crisp and browned.
Cost: Jumbo pizza dough AR$4.40

Sesame Hummus and Provencal Pita Chips
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients: Pan Arabe (pita) cut up in triangles, provencal herbs mix to taste (comes pre-packaged in the spice aisle), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 can garbonzo beans, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, lemon, salt, paprika.
Directions: Pre heat the oven, mix the cut up pita in a bowl with oil and provencal herbs, making sure to coat the pieces of bread.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then flip over for another 10 minutes, making sure it gets brown but not burnt.  Meanwhile, using a food processor, puré garbonzos, adding lemon, and sesame oil to taste, sesame seeds for a bit of texture, salt and a dash of paprika.  Since I didn’t use tahini or a lot of oil, I added a  bit of water to make it extra creamy.
Cost: Can of garbonzos AR$3.25, Bimbo (ick I know) pan arabe AR$5 (cheap at the chino, otherwise AR$8 at jumbo) = $8.25 pesos

**Please note that at DaDa in Retiro, a plate of the Hummus appetizer and pita chips is AR$38 pesos. I know.

Bulgur and Chickpea Salad
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients: 1/2 cup bulgur wheat, garbonzos, tomatoes, avocado, green onion parsley, salt, pepper, 1 tbl olive oil, 1 tbl lemon juice, 2 tbl red wine vinegar
Directions: Cook bulgur wheat (if in Argentina, do NOT follow the directions on the package, they are total bullshit).  Make sure it cools enough before you mix it with the veggies because warm avocado is kinda naush.  Chop up the rest of the veggies and mix all together.  Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper.  Pour on top of the salad mix and cool in the fridge.
Cost: Can of garbonzos AR$3.25, Avocado AR$3, Parsley bunch AR$1.10 = $7.35 pesos

Creamy fatless Mashed Potatoes
Time: Boiling potatoes
Ingredients: Potatoes, green onion, queso crema light, dash of milk, curry powder, salt
Directions: Peel, chop, and boil two potatoes, mashed with a fork, add queso crema light, dash of milk, mix until creamy, add salt, green onions, and curry powder. YUM.
Cost: 2 potatoes AR$1.95, queso crema light (small container) $4.45 = 6.40 pesos

Whole wheat pasta in a garlic white wine sauce
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients: Whole wheat pasta, chopped tomatoes, olive oil, 1/3 cup white wine, 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, grated parm cheese
Directions: Cook pasta saving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water for the sauce, heat pan with olive oil adding garlic, stir for a few minutes then add tomatoes, poor in white wine and simmer for a few minutes.  Then, add the pasta and toss, seasonings and adding parm cheese.
Cost: Wine AR$15, for eating and for drinking

Comments