Sweet and Sour Spaghetti Squash

Asian Sweet and Sour Spaghetti Squash

serves 4 to 6

                                                                                  prep time: 15 minutes
                                                                                  cook time: 60 minutes
                                                                                  total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium to large spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

sauce: 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 generous tablespoons of peanut butter
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, to taste*
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

*think about your audience, you can always add more at the table but you can’t remove it then

vegetables: 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup shitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 large carrots, shredded
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 limes, divided (the zest and juice of 1, the second cut into slices)
½ cup crushed peanuts
cilantro or Thai basil, chopped for garnish

Preparation

prepare the spaghetti squash:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place spaghetti squash, cut-side up, on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Shred squash meat using a fork and discard the peel.

create the sauce:

Combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, ginger, sesame oil, honey, chopped cilantro, and black pepper together in a saucepan; bring to a boil.

Whisk water and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth; add to broth mixture and continue boiling until sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce.

prepare the vegetables:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sauté the carrots, red or green pepper, scallions, cilantro, and shredded spaghetti squash until tender, about 10 minutes.

bring it all together:

Add sauce to squash mixture; cook and stir until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

service:

Arrange the sauced spaghetti squash on a serving dish, sprinkle the crushed peanuts over the noodles and garnish with the chopped cilantro and basil.

Serve immediately accompanied by the quartered limes.