Diwali Special Recipes: Here’s how you can have a vegan Diwali!

Diwali can always be a fun time, but you can make it even more special this year, by choosing vegan desserts and sweet treats over the usual kaju katli, gulab jamun and mohan thal. These easy-to-make recipes are courtesy Tinychef and are definitely options that you will go back to, time and again!

Vegan Kulfi
Prep Time: 10-15 hour
Cook time: 0-5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Cashewnuts — 1/4 cup
Seedless dates — 8-10
Steel cut oats — 2 tablespoons
Green cardamoms seeds separated — 2-3
Thick coconut milk — 1 cup

Method:
Take cashew nuts in a small bowl. Add sufficient water and let them soak for 3-4 hours and then drain.
Soak dates in sufficient water in another bowl for 30 minutes and then drain.
Put oats and green cardamom seeds in a blender jar and blend to a fine powder.
Transfer the soaked cashew nuts into another blender jar, add soaked dates and blend well.
Add the oats-green cardamom powder and coconut milk and blend till smooth and thick.
Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds, screw on the lids and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Further keep them in the freezer to set for 7-8 hours or till set.
De-mould and serve immediately.

Also read: Diwali special recipes: Try these two delicious Gujarati savoury dishes for the festive season 

Vegan Gujiya
Prep time: 41-50 minutes
Cook time: 21-25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Desiccated coconut — 1 cup
Whole wheat flour (atta) — 2 cups
Cashew butter — 1/2 cup
Date paste — 2 tablespoons
Green cardamom powder — 1/4 teaspoon
Nutmeg powder — a pinch

Stuffing:
Cashewnuts — 10-12
Almonds — 10-12
Pistachios — 10-12
Dried dates powder — 1.5 tablespoons

Method:
To make coconut butter, take desiccated coconut in a blender jar. Blend till it turns into a smooth paste, scraping the sides in between.
Take whole wheat flour in a platter, add 2 tbsps coconut butter, cashew nut butter, date paste, green cardamom powder and nutmeg powder and mix well. Add sufficient water and knead into soft dough.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
To make the stuffing, heat a pan, add cashew nuts, almonds and pistachios. Cool and transfer the roasted nuts into a blender jar and blend to a fine powder. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Transfer the powder into a bowl, add dried date powder and mix well.
To make gujiyas, divide the dough into equal portions and shape them into balls.
Slightly flatten them and roll into small discs.
Place a small portion of the stuffing in the centre of the disc. Apply water on the edges and fold in half, press and pinch the sides to seal.
Place the gujiyas on a baking tray, keep the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Arrange them on a serving platter and serve.

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