Zucchini Spaghetti with Jumbo Shrimp in a Thai Green Curry Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

You will need a mandolin with medium width (1/8 inch wide) blade and a wok

Ingredients

• 1 lb jumbo shrimp
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 zucchini (approx. ½ lb)
• 2 yellow crookneck squash (approx. ½ lb)
• 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil or more if needed
• Salt and pepper
• 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk, unshaken
• 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• Freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 handful of fresh basil leaves
• Sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Melt butter in a skillet.  Add your shelled, deveined shrimp to the skillet and sauté until pink.  Set aside and cover to keep warm.
2. Cut the zucchini and yellow crookneck squash, lengthwise into long julienned strips with the mandolin.  Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a wok over moderate to high heat, but not to smoking point. Add squash strips to the wok and sauté, tossing gently for about 3 minutes.  The strands will begin to stick together.  Season with salt & pepper and remove from heat.  Place the zucchini onto a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Gently open the coconut milk without shaking.  Scrape ½ cup of the thick upper layer of the contents into a bowl.  This is the coconut cream.  Measure 1 cup of the residual liquid into a separate bow. Set aside.
4. Add coconut cream to the now empty wok and place the wok back over high heat.  Stir the mixture until it starts to boil – about 2 minutes.  Reduce to medium heat then introduce your green curry paste and cook stirring frequently until fragrant for another 2 minutes.  Put in the sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk, chili paste, and the lime juice.  Intensify the heat to high and bring mixture to a boil.  At once diminish heat to moderate intensity and let simmer, sporadically stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a cream consistency.  Add fresh basil and cook for 30 more seconds until the basil begins to wilt. Season.
5. Spoon the sauce onto plates and fill the centre with the zucchini mixture.  Encircle with the jumbo shrimp.  Garnish with basil sprigs, season one more time and it is ready to serve.