Kiwi ProSlice and Me

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When we went to Thailand a significant part of our mission was to learn how to cook Thai food in an authentic manner. As a result we came home with some culturally relevant kitchen implements that have since become staples, if not superstars, in our kitchen at home, whether we are cooking Thai food or not. Today I’m going to sing some praises (la la la la) for the Kiwi ProSlice (brand name); a hand-held vegetable peeler that has become indispensable.

Joe wrote about his favorite Thai salad, the som tam, which is made in a wooden mortar and pestle, but the second key tool to getting it right is this little peeler, which will shred your fresh, raw veggies into even strips.  It is also what you employ to get a beautiful jagged-edged effect in sliced carrots, cucumbers, etc. So pretty! 

 

The package information for the Kiwi ProSlice (product of Thailand) describes this tool as “specially designed, having zigzag stainless steel blade which is sharp and having increasing length; it helps plane small or large vegetables and fruits to make strips simply and quickly. It is suitable for making papaya sour salad or vegetable salads and it is used in fabricating vegetables and fruits to be in beautiful pattern. In addition, it has a handle which is designed to be convenient for handling. It provides more convenience in use.”

I could not have said it better myself.

So, how is it that this tool has become indispensable in my own kitchen? I certainly don’t make som tam every day of the week. The reason I was inspired to write up a little tribute to this tool was a decidedly non-Thai dish I made for myself yesterday. If you’ll indulge me I would like to share a recipe that has nothing to do with “The Intrepid Herbivores” except that it was made possible by this tool we discovered and brought back as a result of our travels.

So, around this time of year I always feel a keening need to lighten up my diet and allow my body to clean itself out a little bit. Is it merely a coincidence that this happens right when all of the enticing summer vegetables are re-emerging? At any rate, I’ve been incorporating more raw foods into my palette and this little tool made a very exciting dish possible. I created a raw “pasta” out of a shredded zucchini and it was so good that I felt compelled to document it.

Using the Kiwi ProSlice I shredded the zucchini into fettuccine-esque noodles. Zucchini is a perfect vegetable for this purpose; it is satisfyingly chewy yet supple and pliant. Beautiful texture. I was extremely proud of the sauce I improvised, thusly:

In a food processor:

*1 garlic clove.

*2 cherry bomb peppers (which are moderately spicy–if you’re not into that use 1 red bell pepper).

*1/2 of a large cucumber (lends it some lightness of flavor and also a considerable quantity of liquid).

*6 or so brazil nuts (or a small handful of cashew, almonds, or whatever your nut of choice).

*a pinch of dried oregano, a pinch of salt. Blend thoroughly.

I also tossed in *three chopped asparagus spears along with the zucchini because I had them, they were pretty, and I like some textural variance.

It was so, so, delicious. The nuts gave it that down-to-earth fatty goodness that many of us look for in a pasta dish, but the cucumber flavor was light and refreshing while the zucchini noodles, as aforementioned, were most agreeable.

Thanks, Kiwi ProSlice!