I'm childishly in awe of spaghetti squash. It's almost magical how the squash so easily shreds into pasta-like strings. I can imagine an infomercial with a very loud and aggressive host displaying the wonders of the squash and me, all wide-eyed and open-mouthed, gasping, "Wow! That really works! Looks just like spaghetti! I'm really amazed"!
Like substituting mashed cauliflower for potatoes, spaghetti squash can be a great substitute for pasta, a perfect bed for just about any sauce. Like mushrooms, the squash happily accepts the flavor of whatever you choose to marry it with.
Still, I don't make either of these substitutions very often because Mr. Rosemary remains a purist. (One of the reasons I love him, of course.)
When I have one of those "experimental whims" I'm likely to test them out only for myself. If they're a hit, I might share them. But usually, they're not. Usually, I get a "Not bad."
These squash patties met with that half-hearted blessing, too. Me? Loved them. But I love curry. I love its lightly smoky sweetness. (I found a recipe for curry and cardamom cookies from The Spice House that I'm determined to make for Christmas.)
This is not, however, an easy- to-do weeknight kind of dish. It takes time to cook the squash. Takes time to shred the said cooked squash. Time to mix the patties and time to cook them. The good news is that they can be frozen without losing anything. Just a warm-up either on the stove top or in the oven, and they're ready again.
Spicy 'Sketti Squash with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
4 cups cooked spaghetti squash
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
Combine all ingredients and mix till well-combined.
Heat a small amount of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Drop squash mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with the cilantro yogurt sauce.
Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
1 1/2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Stir all the ingredients together, adding salt to taste. Chill to let flavors blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.
