This dish is a lightened up version of traditional Pad Thai, and if I’m honest I think it’s even more delicious than the classic version! The silky courgettes pair perfectly with the rich and zingy sauce for a flavour fusion that you won’t be forgetting for a while. If you’re in a rush, this Raw Pad Thai can be made in under 15 minutes, but if you’ve got a little more time on your hands I highly recommend leaving the sauce to infuse further into the veggies for an even richer flavour. Oh, and the almonds are just one of the simplest but incredible things I have ever tasted, so just a word of personal experience, make more than you need because you’ll finish them before it’s even time to serve up!
This recipe is from my Naturally Sassy CookBook available with next day delivery on Amazon.
The Ingredients
6 courgettes
3 carrots, peeled
5 asparagus spears, very thinly sliced
2 red peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced
Tamari-roasted almonds
50g (1/3 cup) whole almonds
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon water
SAUCE:
3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 thumbnail-sized knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
240ml (1 cup) full-fat coconut milk
80g (1/3 cup) almond butter
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons tamari
Method
Preheat the oven to 18’C/160’C fan/gas 4.
To make the tamari-roasted almonds, combine the tamari and water in a bowl, add the almonds and coat well in the liquid.
Tip into a baking tray, spreading out evenly, then place in the oven to roast for 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has dissolved. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Next, spiralize the courgettes and carrots with a spiraliser if you have one, or peel them into fine ribbons with a vegetable peeler if you don’t. To prepare the sauce, simply chuck all the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend!
To assemble the dish, place all the prepared vegetables into a large mixing bowl, add the tamari-roasted almonds, pour in the sauce and toss well together. Plate up and enjoy!
Extracted from Naturally Sassy by Saskia Gregson-Williams. (Ebury Press, £16.99)
Photography by Matt Russell
