Courgette Spaghetti & Thai Curry Prawns Save the Night

Last night was one of those nights.  You know the kind, where you open up a fully stocked fridge and fail to find anything that remotely appeals or inspires for dinner, eventually declaring in defeat that there is "nothing to eat" in the house.

Without my husband around this week to coax me out of my food funk, I was left to my own devices which normally means the story would end with me schlepping down the street to pick up my favorite local sushi takeaway.

However, one can never underestimate the power of a good gimicky kitchen product to raise curiosity levels enough to inspire action.  In the midst of throwing my hands up in full dramatic despair, my eyes caught sight of a square little box wedged neatly between the raclette maker we drug home from Switzerland, the crepe maker I insisted we adopt in the French Alps last winter and a crock pot that I declared "crucial" to replicating my mom's amazing Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.

Yes, it's fair to say I like my gadgets.  But THIS box had been forgotten about since my poor mom was charged with dragging it over from the US during her annual summer London visit.  It contained the magical spiral slicer gadget that I randomly saw on a You Tube video promising to make me courgette spaghetti so authentic that I would never long for pasta noodles again.  Seriously?  Never miss pasta? I obviously had to have this little gem of kitchen wizardry!

And the verdict?  I'm not sure this little toy will keep ALL my pasta cravings at bay (sometimes there's nothing in the world that can beat a perfectly cooked gnocchi dish) but in terms of your basic angel hair, I'll happily replace it with the courgette version every time.  

For the prawn curry:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger root
1 onion, chopped
1-2 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
50g sachet coconut cream (Found at most Asian grocery stores.  Do not substitute with coconut milk.)
400g raw frozen prawns (thawed)
1 handful coriander, chopped (optional)

For the courgette spaghetti:
3-4 medium to large courgettes (the "noodles" shrink up when pan fried so use more than you think you'll need.)
1 tsp vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray

To make the spaghetti:
Use a spiral slicer or alternatively, a julienne tool as directed (for tutorial, see video link in post)
*For more authentic looking noodles, peel the courgette first. However, I opted for the added vitamins so kept the skin on.
Coat a medium pan in non-stick cooking spray or 1 tsp oil and heat on medium.
Add the courgette noodles and gently flash stir fry for approximately 1-2 minutes. Be sure not to over cook the courgette noodles to avoid becoming mushy.

To make the prawn curry:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the onion and ginger and cook for a few minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and coconut cream.
5. Bring to a boil, then leave to simmer for 5 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.
6. Add in the prawns and cook for another 7-10 minutes depending on how large they are.

Serve on top of a bed of courgette spaghetti noodles. Add a sprinkle of chopped coriander if you choose.