Crickets in the Engine Room

Easy Eats for Hard Times

Like most dishes around here, this came about because of what happened to be in the refrigerator. It sounds weird, but it’s good.

• 1/2 an acorn squash, gutted and skinned
• 1/2 a pound of 50-60 count frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, divided
• 1 shake red pepper flakes
• 1 handful cilantro

If you’ve forgotten to thaw out the shrimp, put it in a colander and run cold water over it till you get tired of doing that. They’ll thaw out soon enough. Put the cilantro in a bowl of water to let the sand soak off of it. Meanwhile, chop the acorn squash into large dice; set aside. Cut the zucchini into one-inch logs; quarter lengthwise and set aside. Smash and mince the ginger and garlic; set aside. Fish out the cilantro, dry it gently and chop it up, stems and all; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine five spice powder, cornstarch, soy sauce, fish sauce and red pepper flakes. And, yes, set that aside, too.

Over a lively flame, melt 1 tbsp. coconut oil in a heavy pan. Saute squash till it begins to brown around the edges. In the same pan, melt the other tbsp. of coconut oil. Add zucchini, garlic and ginger, cooking till the zucchini begins to brown, which you want, or the garlic gets brown, which you don’t want. Add the cilantro and the sauce. Cook another minute to thicken the sauce. Serve with rice.