Thai summer rolls with papaya, herbs and spicy dipping sauce

MAKE TIME: 40 MINS

SOAK TIME: 2-12 HOURS MAKES: 16-20 SMALL SPRING ROLLS EQUIPMENT REQUIRED: MANDOLINE, BLENDER SUMMER ROLLS: ½ packet kelp noodles

½ cup tamari

½ cup filtered water

½ tsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp grated fresh lemongrass 4 large heads bok choy 1 medium-sized carrot

1 telegraph cucumber

1 ripe papaya

2 cups bean sprouts

A handful of fresh mint, roughly torn

or chopped

A handful of fresh coriander, roughly

torn or chopped

A handful of Thai basil, roughly torn

or chopped

A handful of fresh chives

½ cup cashews, roughly chopped DIPPING SAUCE: 3 Tbsp raw almond butter, or ¼ cup almonds soaked for 12 hours

¼ cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours 1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped 1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1 kaffir lime leaf 1 Thai red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped, or 1-2 tsp dried red

chilli flakes

1½ Tbsp tamari

4 Tbsp lemon or lime juice

1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 Tbsp coconut sugar or 1 Medjool date Pinch of sea salt

2 Tbsp tamarind water (optional) ¼–½ cup filtered water

Wash kelp noodles well in a sieve. Mix with tamari and water and leave to marinate for 30 minutes until soft. Drain tamari, water, rinse well. Add sesame oil and grated lemongrass, toss lightly and set aside.

Cut the very end of the base off the bok choy and separate all leaves – you’ll only use the larger outer leaves that are able to be rolled. Place these in a bowl. Cover with hot water until the leaves become pliable. Submerge immediately in ice-cold water. You don’t want to cook them – they should still be a vibrant green colour.

Use a mandoline or sharp knife to finely julienne the carrots and cucumber. Remove the papaya’s outer skin, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut flesh into batons, around 1cm x 8cm. Save leftover bits of papaya for breakfast, or snack away while you’re cooking. To assemble rolls, lay out bok choy leaves so the base is closest to you and the inside of the leaf is facing up. Place a small amount of carrot, cucumber and bean sprouts at the top of the base portion of the leaf. Add about 1 tablespoon of kelp noodles, a papaya baton, a couple of leaves of each herb and a sprinkle of crushed cashews. Roll the base of the bok choy leaf over the filling, tuck it into the rest of the leaf and roll up tightly.

To make the sauce, rinse soaked nuts well. In a blender, combine almond butter or soaked almonds with cashews and remaining ingredients except water. Add ¼ cup of water, blend well. Add more water if needed, a little at a time, to get a consistency similar to mayonnaise, but not too runny or the flavours will be watered down.