Raw summer Pad Thai

I have been dying to make raw Pad Thai ever since we moved away from my favourite raw food restaurant in New York, and I am no longer able to order it on the regular. Here it is.

Raw summer pad thai Credit: Jodi Moreno

• serves

  2

• prep

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Peanut sauce

• ¼ cup peanut or almond butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
• juice of 1 lime

Noodles

• several leaves of kale, centre ribs removed and sliced thin lengthwise
• 1 small head of romaine lettuce, shredded
• 2 green zucchinis, peeled lengthwise with a julienne peeler
• 2 yellow zucchinis, peeled lengthwise with a julienne peeler
• a good handful of kelp noodles (optional) or 1 cucumber, peeled lengthwise with a julienne peeler

Toppings

• 3 spring onions, diced
• ¼ cup peanuts (or any kind of nut)
• 1 handful of coriander, roughly chopped
• several leaves of Thai basil (regular basil is fine if you cannot find Thai)
• 1-2 pinches chilli powder
• gomascio (unhulled sesame seeds and salt) or toasted sesame seeds or hemp seeds, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Then, add in 3-4 tablespoons of water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until you have the consistency you like.

In a large bowl, toss together the kale, romaine, zucchini, and kelp noodles (if using). Spoon in the peanut sauce little by little until the vegie noodles are dressed as much as you like. Toss to make sure all of the noodles are evenly coated. Plate the vegie noodles, and then sprinkle the onion, nuts, coriander, basil, chilli powder, toasted sesame seeds or hemp seeds over the top.

Note

• There's been a lot of talk recently about a julienne peelers. Well, I am telling you. This $5 piece of kitchen equipment will change your life. Seriously, people. Life changing. Being able to eat more raw vegies in the summertime, being able to eat my favourite pasta dishes subbing vegetables for the carbs... amazing. Yes. Run out and buy one right now.

Recipe from What’s Cooking Good Looking by Jodi Moreno, with photographs by Jodi Moreno.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.