Vegan Homemade Cashew Yogurt

How to make unsweetened yogurt (curd/dahi) with cashewnuts.

Ingredients
1 Cup Cashewnuts
12 Chilly Crowns
Warm Water as required
Method

Soak the cashewnuts in warm water overnight. 

Wash the chillies and pat them dry completely before separating the crowns.

 Do not wash the crowns again after separating them from the chillies. 

Next morning drain, rinse the cashewnuts in fresh water. Then blend with a cup of plain warm water till very smooth. 

Take half of  this thick cashew milk in a bowl and topped with the crowns of fresh chilly crowns. Do do worry this will not make the yogurt spicy.  The remaining cashew milk, store it in a airtight container in the refrigerator (just before you want to set yogurt, microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds, the cashew milk should be just luke warm).

By evening the curds will be perfectly set .. cashew yogurt is ready. This batch which is the starter culture will have a very faint aroma of chillies that will not affect the taste. 

Remove / discard the crowns from this and add in the remaining cashew milk and mix it well. Pour this into two bowls and leave it to set.

The second batch made with this culture will not have any chilly aroma. It tasted exactly like the one made of dairy milk! You would not have made out the difference, believe me! Only it's too heavy to finish a full small bowl. 

Reserve 2 tablespoons in the refrigerator before serving so that you have a starter every time you want to set vegan yogurt. 

Labels : Vegan, Homemade, Cashewnuts, Yogurt, Gluten free, Delicious, Chilly Crowns

A Side Dish With Baby Potatoes- No Onion No Garlic

An Easy Side Dish With Baby Potatoes , so tasty and delicious. This has no onion no garlic and no red chilly powder, prefect Vrat Ka Khanna.   The masala paste coated on the fried potatoes taste awesome. 

Ingredients

½ kg Baby Potatoes - boiled
3 Tablespoons Butter or Ghee
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Fennel seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Level Black pepper powder
1 Teaspoon Ginger paste
125 Grams Yogurt - whisked
½ Teaspoon Garam Masala / All Spice Powder
2 Tablespoons Chopped Coriander leaves
2–3 Green chilies - finely chopped

Salt to taste

Method

Boil ½ kg potatoes and skin them then prick using toothpick.
Heat oil and butter or ghee in a wok, add in boiled potatoes and fry till golden brown.

Now remove the potatoes and keep aside. In the same pan add the fennel seeds saute till it releases an aroma, add the green chilly,  ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper and turmeric  powder, mix well . Fry for 2 minutes on medium low flame, now add the fried potatoes , saute well  till it coated with the spices.  

Now add the whisked yogurt, salt to taste . Mix well, stirring continuously till the potatoes are coated with the yogurt.  Simmer on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till the moisture/ gravy dries.  Add the garam masala powder and give it a stir.

 Take it  out,  on to a serving dish , sprinkle with dash of garam masala powder, fried green chilly and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot...

Labels:  Vegetarian, Vegetables, No Onion No Garlic, Baby Potatoes, Vrat, Side Dish, Main course

Vegan Strawberry Dream Cake - No Bake

This is one dessert that is so easy to make. I have used virgin coconut oil to make this dream cake and this is an excellent choice of fat for vegans.

Made this for my vegan daughter and her vegan friends. This is delicious cake, made it twice the second time I made a small one for two. 

The first time I made,  it, was hot summer here and  did not refrigerate it overnight.  So after some time the top layer started to melt, so un mould it again refrigerate it till you are ready to serve. Do not remove it early and keep it on the dining table like I did it. 

This dream cake, you must freeze for 3 hours then refrigerate it overnight then only serve it.
Serves 5 - 6
Ingredients
For the Crust
1 Cup Almonds - coarsely minced
200 Grams Medjool Dates or any good quality dates
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt

For the Filling 

1½ Cups Cashewnuts
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
Few Drops of Strawberry essence
1/3 Cup Virgin Coconut oil
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Chopped Strawberries + 1 Tablespoon Sugar

Method

In a saucepan heat boil 2 to 3 cups of water. When the water comes to a boil, add the cashewnuts and take one boil, take off flame let is sit in this water for 5 minutes, Then drain the cashewnuts and rinse them in fresh water well. Soak them fresh warm water overnight or for 5 - 6 hours at least.

For The Crust

Place almonds and dates in a a blender with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are finely grounds. Take a tablespoon of the prepared date mixture for the crust and roll it in your hands. If it holds together, the crust is perfect. Take out crust mixture in a 6 to 7” spring-form pan and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse the blender well.

In the same blender, add the cashewnuts, coconut oil, sugar,lemon juice. Blend to make smooth paste. Add the essence and pulse it twice.

Pour about 2/3 ( I eyeballed it) of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula, cling wrap the pan. Place in freezer until solid or for 15 to 20 minutes. 

In the remaining paste add the strawberries and the tablespoon of sugar, 

blend until smooth. 

Pour onto the chilled layer. Again cling wrap it and place in freezer until solid.

To Serve

Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and un mould it, cut into slices and again refrigerate till ready to serve. Serve with fresh strawberries. 

This is a rich dessert and delicious.

This one piece that remained for me which I kept overnight in the refrigerator.  See how well it is set.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Labels : No Bake Desserts, Strawberry, Cashewnuts, Almond, Dates, Coconut Oil, Vegan, Sweets & Desserts, Healthy

Vegetable Tahiri And Raita With a Twist#FantasticalFoodFight

Tahiri is a rice  is cooked without meat. Rice and vegetables are cooked together. Potatoes, pea and carrots are a must as vegetables in Tahiri . In Kashmir, Tahiri is served on street carts.
This recipe is made in the pressure cooker, so quick and easy that it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Serves 5 

Ingredients 
2 Cups Rice
1 Large Potato - cut into big cubes
2 Carrots - cut into big cubes
1/2 Cup Peas
1/2 Cup Oil
1 Cup Onion - sliced
1.1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Yogurt - beaten
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic paste
2 Green chilies
2 Tomatoes - cut in big cubes
Whole spices
4 Cloves
2 Sticks Cinnamon
8 Peppercorns
2 Green Cardamons
1 Black Cardamon
3 Cups Hot Water

For the Raita With a Twist
2 Cups Thick Yogurt - beaten
2 Cucumbers - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Pizza seasonings
1 Tablespoon Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Method

Wash and soaked for 10  minutes.
In the mean time chop all the veggies required.

Heat oil in a pressure pan, fry onion light golden brown , add garlic paste with all the spices, fry well. Add in potatoes, carrot and peas. Fry for 2 minutes on medium high flame. Add yogurt and keep stirring till well incorporated. Then add rice and stir lightly. Add hot water and place  whole green chilies, tomatoes on top ( do not stir). Cover and bring it to a rolling boil.  Then cover the pressure pan with the lid,  cook on high flame for two whistles only.  Let the cooker cool down a little. 

Open the cooker and lightly  fluff the rice with fork and serve hot.
For the Raita With a Twist 

Mix the ingredients for the raita and serve with steaming hot Tahiri. Enjoy.

Labels: Rice, Vegetarian, Raita, Salads, Carrot, Potato, Pressure Cooker, 30 Minutes Meals, Fantastical Food Fight, Main course, Kashmir
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#FantasticalFoodFight

Be sure to check out the other Fantastical "food fight" recipes this month !

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Cream of Onion And Orange Soup#SoupSwappers

This Cream of Onion And Orange Soup is so flavorful and so refreshing you will love it. The zest of the orange renders a beautiful aroma to this soup. Must try this.  

For Soup Swappers this month the theme is " Refreshing Fruit Soups" our host is April Tuell.

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Medium Onion  - chopped
2 Medium Potatoes  -  sliced
½  Cup Cream
1 Cup Milk
3 Cups Water
1 Vegetable stock cube
A zest of One Orange
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Corn flour 

Method

Finely chop the onions, soak it  in water for 2 -3 minutes then wash it in fresh water to take out the strong flavor. Drain and keep aside.

In a pot add butter and when it melts, add the  onions in the pan and cook them for 3 - 4 minutes on low heat with pinch of salt.  Add water and  potatoes cool till the potatoes are done.   When done cool this mixture and then blend it in the  food processor , along with the milk  into a fine paste

 Return the mixture back to the pot and add a stock cube and cream, mix well.  Add the orange rind and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.

Mix the corn flour in ¼ water, add to the soup, keep stirring it it comes to boil and thickens. 

Serve hot.. Enjoy this flavorful soup.

Labels : Soup, Fruit Soup, Orange, Onion, Vegetarian, Soup Swappers, Healthy 

Check out the Refreshing Fruit Soups other bloggers made for August 2019!

Chilled Tomato Peach Soup by Home Sweet Homestead
Chilled Golden Tomato Soup with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, and Herbs by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Spiced Up Cantaloupe Soup by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Watermelon Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Cream of Onion And Orange Soup by Sneha's Recipe