Goddess of Veg: Thai Salad Wraps

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 200g/7oz fresh firm tofu
• 150g/5½oz turnip, kohlrabi or swede (rutabaga)
• ½ red pepper
• 50g/1¾oz green beans
• 2 spring onions (scallions)
• handful of fresh mint leaves
• spray oil
• 4 round lettuce leaves or Chinese cabbage leaves

Dressing 

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 or 2 small red or green chillies, to taste
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey

METHOD

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and popping. Remove the seeds to a plate to cool.

2. Drain the tofu and wrap in paper towels. Set aside.
3. For the dressing, peel the garlic and remove any sprout. Ideally, use a mortar and pestle: snip in the chilli, add the garlic and pound until smashed, then add the soy sauce, lime juice and agave or honey and blend well with the pestle. Alternatively, crush the garlic and chop the chilli and combine with the remaining dressing ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.
4. Peel and grate the turnip, kohlrabi or swede on the coarse side of a cheese grater. Slice the pepper thinly. Top the beans and slice them and the onions thinly on the diagonal. Combine the veg thoroughly in a bowl, reserving the mint leaves. Reserve 1 tbsp of the dressing, then stir the rest through the salad and set aside. (If saving for another day, keep half the dressing separate and cook the tofu just before serving.)
5. Heat a ridged grill pan over a high heat. Cut the tofu into 1cm/½in thick slabs and spray each side with oil. Chargrill on each side until deep golden stripes appear – use a fork to turn the tofu.
6. Meanwhile, assemble the salad. Lay 2 lettuce leaves on each plate and top with the salad mixture. Scatter over the mint leaves and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
7. Top each wrap with a piece of tofu, spoon the reserved dressing over the tofu, and serve.