Go plant-based with your desserts this Diwali

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