For the Love of Thai

I am a huge Thai food fan. I thought it would be fun to create a salad, for the Denver Living and Raw Food Cafe rawluck, using the fillings for a Thai summer roll. The dressing uses the ingredients from a summer roll dipping sauce.

Thai food is known for its use of fresh herbs and taste balancing spicy, sweet, sour, salty and bitter. I love playing with the flavors.

It also got me thinking. What is the difference between spring and summer rolls? It's all in the translation. Gỏi Cuốn is a Vietnamese word where some believe it is translated as spring or summer roll. It's up to you. However, the literally translation is "Mixed Salad Roll"

I have a running lists of recipes to try when I finish juice feasting and this is definitely one of them.

Thai Summer Salad
Serves 8
1 zucchini, peeled
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cucumbers, julienned
2 carrots, julienned

2 Thai peppers, finely diced
1 small bunch Thai basil leaves
1 small bunch mint leaves
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only
1 small bunch scallions, sliced on the diagonal
1 small head of Napa cabbage, shredded

Hot and Sweet Dressing
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
1½ teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
¼ cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
¼ cup agave nectar
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 Use a spiralizer to make thin zucchini pasta. Sprinkle with sea salt and place the pasta on a paper towel. Set on the counter overnight. Or you can place in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for a few hours or so.

2 Toss the cucumbers, carrots, peppers, basil, mint, cilantro, scallions and cabbage into a large bowl until mixed well. Add the zucchini pasta and gently combine.

3 To make dressing, combine ingredients in a jar. Give a quick shake before pouring the dressing onto the Thai salad just before serving.
Don't want to deal with zucchini pasta? No worries, try kelp noodles instead.