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Makes 12 / These lovely rolls feature an intensely flavored, sweet-sour sauce made with tamarind, a sour pulp found in tree pods native to Asia. Ingredient tip: Look for tamarind concentrate or paste sold in jars and cans in your natural market’s ethnic foods section. Prep tip: Blanching makes the chives pliable enough to tie around the rolls. To blanch, drop in boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and run under cold water.
1/2 large carrot, peeled
1/2 large cucumber, peeled
1/2 large ripe mango, peeled
½ cup cashews (or almonds, macadamia, or brazil nuts)
Handful of fresh cilantro
Handful of fresh mint
12 large spinach leaves (if necessary, use smaller leaves, layered)
1 cup mungo bean sprouts
12-16 long chives or green onion stems, blanched
Tamarind Sauce (makes scant 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup tamarind pulp or concentrate
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
1. Combine all Tamarind Sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until emulsified. Set aside.
2. Cut carrots, cucumber, and mango into matchsticks. Finely chop nuts, cilantro, and mint. Lay spinach leaves on a flat work surface. Arrange carrots, cucumber, mango, and bean sprouts on each leaf. Top with nuts, then cilantro and mint. Roll up and tie with a blanched chive or green onion. Trim ends to shape. Hold each roll upright and pour about 1 teaspoon sauce into each (or use as a dipping sauce). Serve, passing extra sauce.
PER SERVING (2): 110 cal, 45% fat cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 0mg chol, 3g protein, 13g carb, 2g fiber, 40mg sodium