Red Curry Coconut Peanut Spaghetti Squash

I adore eating curries of all types.  Of course the best curries are those made entirely from scratch but sometimes that isn't an option.  What is great about this dish is it is fast, fun and easy to throw together.  You can make individual portions if you want to save some of the hearty squash for another application.  Just halve or quarter the ingredients and you are good to go.  It is a nice change up from having your curry over a traditional bed of Jasmine Rice and you get your pasta fix too, with less carbs.  This hearty dish is rich and satisfying and will have everyone swooning at it's complexity with such few ingredients.  Enjoy!

Red Curry Coconut Peanut Spaghetti Squash

1 Medium Spaghetti Squash

4 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste (Thai Kitchen, see photo)

2 Cans Coconut Milk

2 Tablespoons Coconut and Peanut Spread (Earth Balance, see photo)

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

Sambal (Chili Garlic Sauce), for garnish

Cilantro, for garnish

Cook Spaghetti Squash whole in oven on roasting pan for 1 hour at 400 degrees F or until tender, rotating once half way through.  Allow Squash to cool to touch. Slice in half long ways and scoop out slimy flesh and seeds.  Using a fork remove "Spaghetti" and put in a large bowl.  Over medium-low heat combine coconut milk, curry paste and coconut and peanut spread.  Whisk gently to combine.  Add squash to mixture and reduce heat to simmer, stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes.  Add soy sauce and remove from heat.  Serve immediately with garnish of sambal and chopped cilantro.  Allow unused portion to cool before refrigerating in a tightly sealed glass container.

Chef's note:  this dish stands on it's own but could certainly be varied by adding onions, carrots, peppers or your other vegetables of choice if desired.

Thai Style Rice Salad

If you have never cooked Jasmine Rice in coconut milk, you are in for a real treat.  Once you taste the creamy Umami of each grain of this dish, you may never look at rice the same.  The delicate touch of coconut flavor does not overpower the salad itself but rather cradles each perfectly cooked grain in a bed of mouthwatering goodness.  Read on.

Thai Style Rice Salad

1 English Cucumber

1/2 Red Onion

2 inch knob of fresh Ginger

1/4 cup Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1/2 bunch Scallions (Green Onions)

1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro

2 cups long grain Jasmine Rice

3 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt

Roasted Peanuts, for garnish

Sambal (Chili Garlic Sauce), for garnish

Begin by making the cucumber salad component so it can marinate while your rice cooks.  Grab a large mason jar and add fish sauce or soy sauce and sugar.  Next, thinly slice onions and ginger, add to jar.  I like to make 2 inch onion slices and go microscopic matchstick size on my ginger but suit yourself if you want to go bigger.  Just think bite-size.  Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and then longwise.  Remove seeds by gently scraping with a spoon and then cut halves longwise again, then slice into small chunks.  Add to jar.  Finely chop scallions and cilantro and add those too.  Now secure lid on jar and shake to your heart's content!  Set aside on counter.  Time to make perfect rice...

To a medium stainless steel sauce pan add 3 cups coconut milk and 2 cups rice.  Add a teaspoon of salt and stir while heating over high heat.  Keep stirring.  When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover with lid.  Set timer to 15 minutes.  Now walk away.

When timer goes off, remove pan from heat, turn off stove but DO NOT OPEN THAT LID!  I don't care how hungry you are!  Now set timer for 10 MORE minutes and walk away, again.  

Okay - time to EAT!  Open pot and fluff rice with a fork.  Scoop into bowl.  Top with cucumber mixture, roasted peanuts, Sambal and more cilantro.  Enjoy every last bite.  Okay, now REPEAT. :)