New World Spaghetti Squash

Epyllion's Note:

I concocted this on getting acquainted with the taste and texture of a roasted spaghetti squash (also known as a calabash squash). It's an alternative to the idea of treating the squash as a substitute for spaghetti noodles. The roasted squash really has slaw-like texture--soft yet crunchy. Spaghetti squash is an ancient New World food source in Central and South America, so I decided to try making something that combined an ancient native trio of ingredients: corn, beans, and squash. On sampling the roasted squash by itself, my first thought was "black beans," and my second was "spicy." Here's what I did, based on what I had in my kitchen this evening. I'm sure others can improve on it!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 spaghetti squash (2 - 3 pounds)
• 1 -3 tablespoon olive oil , for skillet (or sesame oil?)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds or 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• pine nuts , generous scoop (pignola nuts)
• sesame seed , generous scoop
• sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds , generous scoop
• 2 large onions , coarsely chopped
• 4 big garlic cloves , coarsely chopped
• 1 -2 jalapeno pepper (or 1 T of jarred pickled jalapenos)
• 2 -3 tablespoons chili pepper sauce (I used Thai Chili Garlic sauce)
• 1 (15 ½ ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• limes or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (fresh or dried)
• corn chips , to serve (I blue or black corn chips for their color)

Directions:

1. Hack squash open using a big broad knife--and WORK at it to divide it in half lengthwise.
2. Scoop out the seeds.
3. Place on baking sheet or big baking dish, turned over. Pierce the skin all over with a fork. Bake at about 375 or 400 degrees F for about 40 - 45 minutes. Remove squash halves from the oven. Using your baking mits, turn squash over, and if it's just right you should be able to scrape the innards with a spoon and the squash will come out sort of like noodles--really more like slaw.
4. Heat some oil in a sizable skillet (large enough so that you can eventually mix in the squash with the other ingredients. Add ingredients in any order that makes sense to you. For me, taking my cue from Indian cookbooks, I typically sizzle up the spicy ingredients with the seeds and nuts first--browning them together and flavoring the oil. Next I add the onions and jalapenos and let them reduce/brown. Then add the garlic and the Chili Garlic sauce (and/or the lime or lemon juice). Toss in the black beans and the cilantro leaves, and mix / heat thoroughly.
5. Toss in the spaghettified squash, mix thoroughly. Serve in bowls topped with the corn chips.