How many of you bought one of those gadgets that makes curly vegetable strands? Before you made the purchase, you may have fantasized about all of the cool things you could make, stuff that would keep you on the straight and narrow with your vegetable intake while adding new flare to your fare. But then how long did it take before the novelty wore off and it started collecting dust and taking up space?
This recipe may help rekindle some of that former interest. It calls for three curly vegetables - and in this recipe it really makes a difference that they are cut this way. So, go on and dig it out from under the other neglected cast-offs (the ice cream maker, the sous vide, the vacuum packer…). It’ll be worth the effort.
Ingredients:
1 small piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 med zucchini - curl
2 med carrots - curl
1/2 cucumber - curl
chopped scallions to taste
fresh red chili to taste, chopped
400g spaghetti
2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
soy sauce
Instructions:
Before preparing the vegetables, put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Pour the olive oil into the cup fitted to the immersion blender. Add the garlic and ginger and blend until smooth.
In a large skillet, cook the puree until the rawness has cooked off. Off heat, add the chili.
When the spaghetti is very al dente (but not so much that it sticks to your molars) drain it and toss it in the pan with the ginger and garlic. (You can briefly rinse the spaghetti in cold water if you want, keeping in mind that it will affect the salt content.)
Add all of the vegetables and the sesame oil and toss very well until it is mixed. Do not cook.
You can either add the soy sauce now or let individuals put it on to suit themselves.
Top with sprinkles of sesame seeds and serve.
