Raw Thai rolls

I've been experimenting with raw food recently. Although end of February in Montreal is not the best time for seasonal fruits or vegetables, my body craves crunchiness and juiciness of fresh produce. So last week I got out my favorite raw cookbooks and began uncooking.

These raw spring rolls were inspired by Ani Phyo's recipe from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen.

What you need

Almond dipping sauce

1/2 cup raw almonds (preferably soaked)

1/2 cup water

1-2 tbsp Nama Shoyu or 1 tbsp light miso paste

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp agave nectar or other raw sweetener
2-3 tbsp olive oil (optional)

Rolls
4 medium collard green leaves, ribs removed
1 medium carrot, julienned
2 small cucumbers, julienned
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
4-8 fresh asparagus spears, wooden ends removed
8-12 basil leaves
8 mint leaves
12 springs fresh cilantro 
 

What to do

Dipping sauce:

• Blend together almonds and water until smooth.
• Add the rest of ingredients and mix well.  Taste and adjust for seasoning (I omitted olive oil but made my sauce slightly more tangy by adding more lime juice)

Rolls:

• Roll collard leaf into a cone.  Fill with vegetables.
• Add 2-3 basil leaves, 2 mint leaves and a couple of cilantro springs
• Serve with dipping sauce or add a dollop of it in the roll  

Notes:
Use your favorite vegetables for the filling: julienned zucchinis, green onion, sun dried tomatoes, and thinly sliced mushrooms work great.
Use almond butter instead of raw nuts for a creamier dipping sauce


A year ago Anya was cooking ITALIAN VERRINES