I lost track of the days this week…

Lost in the sound of the rain on the leaves, the colours of the nightfall and in the fullness of the mOOn …

summer rolls

When we have this at home, I lay out all the fillings on an extra-large chopping board in the middle of the table, set up two soaking stations on either side for the rice paper, and let everyone construct their own.  Other times I make them beforehand and pack them into little tiffin tins to enjoy out on a walk or a school lunch.  When the weather cools down, add sautéed sesame-covered tempeh and sweet potato strips or strips of grilled eggplant glazed with sweet miso and maple syrup. 

ingredients 

8 – 12 round rice paper wrappers

8 – 12 small lettuce leaves

1 carrot, peeled

1 beetroot, peeled

1 cucumber/zucchini

½ red bell pepper

a handful of fresh coriander and mint leaves

prepare the fillings 

1.  Using a box grater or the grater attachment on a food processor, grate the beetroot and carrot together. Cut the avocado and bell pepper into slices, and drizzle the avocado with a little lemon. Using a potato peeler, cut thin strips of cucumber/zucchini.  Wash and dry the fresh mint and coriander.

2.  Place all the fillings into individual bowls or lined up on a large cutting board.

assemble the salad rolls 

3.  Fill a deep bowl with hot water.  Dunk one of the rice paper rolls for 5 – 6 seconds, then lay out on a work surface. The paper will be slightly stiff but will continue to soften as it sits.

4.  Place a leaf of lettuce in the centre of the rice paper roll and arrange a thin bundle of grated carrot, beetroot, avocado slices, shaved zucchini/cucumber, bell pepper, then sprinkle a few leaves of coriander and mint over the vegetables.

5.  Pour a little of the tahini sesame sauce over the top and pull the bottom of the roll up to enclose the filling tightly. Fold one side over, then the other, and continue to roll up snugly.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers.  Serve with both sauces.

tahini-sesame dressing

The tahini can be replaced with your favourite mayonnaise or peanut butter.  A few finely chopped slivers of mild chilli can give this sauce a lovely spicy kick.

Recipe slightly adapted from here.

ingredients

2 Tbsp sesame seeds (combination white and black)

¼ cup tahini

1 Tbsp rice vinegar or umeboshi plum vinegar

1 Tbsp tamari

1½ tsp toasted sesame oil

⅓ cup water

preparation

1.  In a high-speed blender, add the sesame seeds and grind until they are roughly ground.

2.  Add the tahini, vinegar, tamari, oil and water, and blend until well mixed.  Depending on the preferred thickness of the tahini, you may need to add more water.  I like the consistency quite thick. Left-overs can be used as a salad dressing or served with brown rice and sautéed vegetables.

tamari – ginger sauce

This is a great sauce to have on hand, the sweetness complements the tahini-sesame sauce.  I usually triple the recipe to use in a stir-fry during the week.

ingredients

3 Tbsp tamari

1 – 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

preparation

1.  Grate the ginger and place in a bowl with the tamari and sweetener.  Mix together and set aside for the ginger to infuse into the sauce.

Goodness shared by Stacey