One of the biggest food trends this year has been plant-based food. Many fine-dine restaurants, cloud kitchens, cafes and premium food delivery services too have started incorporating plant-based foods, free of any dairy or meat products, in their menus. Why not extend it to Diwali decadence too?
Here some well-known, vegan food specialists share their Diwali mithai and dessert recipes that you can try at home and have a healthier Diwali.
Vegan dark chocolate mousse
Ingredients
Vegan dark chocolate
Valrhona-Amatika range – 225 gm
Almond milk – 125 ml
Dairy-free whipping cream – 200 gm
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pan add the almond milk and heat gently.
In a glass bowl, add the vegan chocolate and gently pour the hot almond milk over the chocolate.
Leave it to infuse for 3 minutes and then using a spatula stir continuously until the chocolate melts.
Fold the dairy free whipped cream into the above mixture.
Pour it into a glass/mould of your choice and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
Garnish with fresh blueberries.
Serve chilled.
Vegan beetroot halwa with coconut ice cream
Ingredients
Beetroot halwa
Beetroot (grated) – 200 gm
Sugar – 50 gm
Virgin coconut oil – 20 ml
Phyllo sheets – 2
Coconut ice cream
Coconut milk – 400 ml
Coconut yoghurt – 90 gm
Sugar – 30 gm
Ice cream stabiliser -2 gm
Liquid glucose – 17 gm
Method
Beetroot halwa
Take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat it.
Add the grated beetroot and sugar, cook them together on medium flame.
It will first release all its water and then start drying out, which will take about 10-12 minutes.
Once the water has dried out, add virgin coconut oil and mix well.
Remove from the flame and keep aside to let it cool.
Once the mixture is cooled, take the phyllo sheets and spread them on a flat table/surface.
Using a silicon brush, lightly apply coconut oil on the sheets.
Cut them length wise, at a gap of approximately 1 inch.
Put the halwa on the phyllo sheets and wrap into small triangular packages.
Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 6 minutes.
Coconut ice cream
Take a deep pan, add coconut milk, sugar, liquid glucose and heat it.
Stir the mixture till the sugar melts. This will take 8-10 minutes.
Add coconut yoghurt and stabiliser and mix well.
Serve the hot beetroot halwa phyllo with a scoop of chilled coconut ice cream.
Garnish with slivers of pistachio.
Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine
Recipes by Manish Sharma, Executive Chef at The Oberoi, Gurgaon
Dry fruit laddoos
Ingredients
Cashews – ¼ cup
Almonds – ¼ cup
Pistachios – ¼ cup
Dates – 7 to 10
Figs – 3 to 5
Poppy seeds – 1 tsp
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp
Method
Soak the dates and figs in lukewarm water and in two separate bowls.
On medium heat, dry roast almonds, cashews and pistachios until the mix becomes slightly aromatic and keep aside.
Toast the seeds until they become aromatic and keep aside.
Put everything in a food processor and process.
Roll the mixture into small balls.
Pro tip - If the mixture becomes runny, place between parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Fudgy almond coconut butter laddoos
Shredded coconut – 2 cups
Almond butter – 1 tbsp
Coconut milk – 1/3 cup
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Coconut sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp
Coconut flour – 5 tbsp
Method
Place the shredded coconut in a big bowl. Add cardamom powder.
Heat coconut milk in a small pan on medium heat.
Add oil, coconut sugar, salt, almond butter and mix well.
Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil.
Boil for 4 minutes and take off heat.
Add the shredded coconut and cardamom mixture.
Add coconut flour and mix well.
If the mixture appears runny, let it cool, then add shredded coconut 2-3 tbsp at a time.
Let it cool for 2 minutes then shape into laddoos. Cool completely before serving
Vegan gaajar ka halwa
Ingredients
Sunflower oil – 2 tsp
Chopped cashews – 3 tbsp
Raisins – 2 tbsp
Chopped raw pistachios – 2 tbsp
Grated carrots – 2 ½ cups
Almond flour – ¼ cup
Almond milk – 1 ¼ cup
Coconut sugar – 1/3 cup
Sunflower oil – 1 tbsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
Method
Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add cashews and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
Add raisins and pistachios and cook for 1-2 minutes until raisins puff up.
Add grated carrots, almond flour, almond milk, coconut sugar, salt and cardamom powder and cook on low heat till all the liquid is absorbed.
Add 1 tbsp sunflower oil towards the end and stir on low heat.
Once all the liquid is absorbed, remove from gas, put it in a bowl and serve.
Garnish with raisins.
By Chef Raveena Taurani, founder and head chef of Yogisattva, a vegan café in Mumbai
Raw turmeric and coconut halwa
Ingredients
Raw turmeric, peeled and ground – 100 gm
Jaggery – 100 gm
Whole wheat flour – 750 gm
Plant-based ghee – 750 gm
Coconut milk – 20 ml
Pistachios – 100 gm
Almonds – 100 gm
Cashews – 100 gm
Roasted coconut chips – 200 gm
Saffron – for garnishing
Method
Heat 2 tbsp ghee.
Roast wheat flour for 5-7 minutes until it turns golden brown and then take it off the heat.
Heat remaining ghee and roast turmeric paste on medium flame for 10 minutes.
As ghee separates, add flour and mix well.
Add coconut milk and stir.
Add mashed jaggery and mix well.
Continue heating the mixture for 4-5 minutes.
Add dry fruits and mix well.
Garnish with pistachio flakes and coconut chips.
Serve hot.
Recipe by Shiv Pravesh, Executive Chef, Marriott Indore