Spaghetti squash is a long oblong winter squash with a bright yellow rind. It actually looks more like a melon than a squash. The flesh is creamy yellow in color and solid when raw but falls away from the fruit in strands or ribbons like spaghetti when cooked. The best way to cook it is to cut it in half lengthwise and baked, boiled, or microwaved to get nice long strands of flesh.
This nutritious squash is low in calories and can be used as a substitute for gluten free pasta. The flesh is very mild tasting and works well with most sauces. I really should use it more often in my cooking. The only other recipe on this blog that uses this ingredient is Tutti-frutti Spa-ghetti, a salad I created on a whim.
With the New Year just round the corner, this month’s theme for World on a Plate is Auspicious Food for a Prosperous New Year. I am representing Malaysia and the Chinese community there have many different dishes that are considered auspicious because they are puns on Chinese words.
The Cantonese word for shrimps is Ha which sounds like laughter. This represents happiness. Lettuce wraps are also commonly served as the word Sang Choy literally means growth in riches and wealth. In this dish, I used both shrimps and lettuce to ring in a New Year with much happiness and rising fortune. 🙂
This Stir-Fry Spaghetti Squash with Shrimps is a twist on the classic Jiu Hu Char or Warm Jicama and Cabbage Salad, a popular dish at my parents’ home cooked for the Reunion Dinner during the Chinese or Lunar New Year celebrations. That dish uses jicama as the main ingredient. In this version, I have substituted the finely shredded jicama with spaghetti squash. I was delighted that the results were surprisingly similar.
- 1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs/1.4 kgs)
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 oz (300g) shrimps, peeled and deveined
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt and pepper
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Split the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place on a baking dish with cut side down and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove spaghetti squash from oven. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently scrape around the edge of the squash to shred the pulp into strands.
- In a wok or large fry pan, heat canola oil. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimps and cook till they curl.
- Add carrots and spaghetti squash. Stir to mix well. Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and stir in sliced green onions.
- Remove and serve warm wrapped in lettuce leaves if desired.
I have decided to publish this post a day earlier than scheduled for World on a Plate. The linky below will open tomorrow and you should be able to see what the others have posted. There will be a special post to celebrate the
Be sure to visit for the special cake I have made for the occasion and the Top 10 Posts of 2012. THANK YOU for your support!
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
A lovely seafood stir-fry. Beautiful presentation too, Biren.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Angie!
I’ll make sure to try some here in Malaysia! Looks like a great dish!
Thanks Pola! Enjoy your stay in Malaysia. 🙂
Your spaghetti squash recipe looks delicious.I have several home grown squash from my garden and I will try this dish.Will let you know the result.
Happy And Healthy New Year to you and family.
Congratulations to Roti And Rice on your 3rd anniversary.May you have many many more years to come.
Dorothy
Thanks Dorothy for you kind comments! So nice to have your own homegrown squash. Happy New Year to you too!
Wow! That does look just like jiu hu char! How very clever – no need to shred all that bang kwang! Your fingers must be very grateful LOL I would love some with hot rice and sambal belacan. I’ve never eaten it out of lettuce cups, the traditional nyonya way, but I’m guessing it’s just as delicious.
I have been wanting to make jiu hu char with this for a while but had to wait until it is in season. Once cooked with soy sauce, the taste is pretty similar. Need to make some sambal belacan next time. Do try it next time with the lettuce cups with sambal spread at the base…sedap!
Hope you and family have a fantastic New Year 🙂
Happy New Year! 🙂
Spaghetti squash is not something we see here or I have not come across it yet! Sounds like a very versatile squash and looks beautiful too! Happy New Year !
I don’t think I have ever come across spaghetti squash in Malaysia. Maybe someday it will be imported by the merchants there. 🙂
Looks wonderful!! Wishing you a Happy and Wonderful New Year 2013!!
Happy New Year, Ramona!
This is such a nice, healthy dish! The flavor looks tremendous. Congrats on 3 years of blogging, and Happy New Year!
Thanks for the compliments and congrats! Happy New Year!
Beautiful dish Biren! Wishing you and family a beautiful and love filled 2013!
Happy New Year, Alisha! Good to see you here. 🙂
What a wonderful dish! I love the meaning of the words for shrimp and lettuce – sounds like the perfect way to start the new year!
Glad to hear you like the dish. Happy New Year, Katherine!
Happy anniversary to your blog Bee Ren! I love learning about other countries’ traditions! The dish looks very refreshing and shrimps are one of my favorite seafood. Have a wonderful and happy New Year!
I never knew shrimp represents happiness. The dish looks absolutely delicious! Happy New Year to you and your family, Biren!
Finally I cooked my home grown squash according to your recipe and it turned out deliciously yummy.The natural flavor is very sweet.
Thank you
Dorothy
So glad to hear you enjoyed the dish. The squash is very sweet when cooked that way. Hardly any seasoning required. Actually I cook mainly with three seasoning – soy sauce, salt, and pepper. I do like some chili sauce and soy bean paste but very little of other sauces. 🙂
Hi Biren, where can I buy spaghetti squash from in Singapore? I couldn’t find any in Cold Storage. Thx.
Hi Jagdip! I am afraid I can’t tell you where you can find spaghetti squash in Singapore. I would have suggested Cold Storage too but I guess they don’t have it there. 🙁