Spaghetti Squash Mezhukkupuratti / Spaghetti Squash Curry

Spaghetti Squash is a vegetable that I've known here in the US. All the google searches came up with the recipe of using it as a spaghetti with tomato  sauce. That was not too exciting for me. I wanted to make a dish out of the squash that could be eaten with rice, rasam.

Foe those, who don't know, spaghetti squash is a low cal vegetable from the squash family. The flesh inside it looks like this spaghetti or semiya.

source: here

I baked it first and then cooked it with Indian spices. However, I guess you can steam it in a pressure cooker as well. I am going to try that and update the blog.

It tasted so good with rasam, rice and curd rice! The use of little coconut oil brings out a great aroma for this bland vegetable.

The tadka with coconut oil and asafoetida will be so inviting in your kitchen!


Get Ready ( serves 2-3)

• 1 Spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• salt to taste

For tempering/ tadka

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal/ ulutham paruppu
• 1 red chilli split into 2
• 1/4 tsp black pepper corns
• few sprigs of curry leaves
• A pinch of asofoetida

Go

• Pre heat the oven to 400 F
• Wash and cut the spaghetti squash length wise. remove all the seeds and strands

• Arrange the squash with cut side facing down in a baking dish. Add a little water inside the baking dish. this will help the squash steam and cook better.

• Bake in the oven for 30 mins.

• Once cooled, take a fork and shred all the flesh. It will come out as long noodles. Set this aside.

• In a pan, add the oil and do the tadka. Once the mustard seed splutters, and urad dal turns goldern brown, add the curry leaves, asafoetida and the shredded spaghetti squash. 

• Add salt and mix all gently till combined. Cook uncovered till all the water has been absorbed for about 5- 10 mins. Check salt and adjust according to taste.
• Serve with  steaming rice as a side dish or with chapathi's

Garnish with cilantro and squeeze a little lime juice and serve ( Optional).

My picky 6 year old and ever hungry teenage son loved it!