Vegan Dessert Challenge- Day 5

- Kirti Tarang Pande

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 Mango- Cashews Fudge

Ingredients:

1. Fine ground cashews- 1/4 cup
2. Grated/ Powdered Jaggery- 1 (tbsp)
3. Coconut flour- 1/3 cup (optional)
4. Water- 1 tbsp
5. Salt - a pinch
6. Mango puree- 1 cup
7. Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
8. Mashed Banana- 1 (if required)

Disclaimer:

Making mango fudge is little tricky for following reasons:

1. No matter how accurate your recipe is the mango is a uncontrolled variable. The amount of jaggery required depends upon how sweet the mango is. The mango that I have used is plucked from my garden, so I know how tangy it is, especially when the season has not yet properly arrived. I have used 1 tbsp of jaggery because I like  tangy & I don't want sweetness to overpower the flavor of cashews. I like things subtle but go with your palette. The trick is- less sugar is okay, you can always fix it by mashing bananas in it in the end.

2. We never know how thick the puree of mango will turn out to be. If it's too liquid, it becomes a test of patience.

3. For beginners dry roasting cashews in iron pan maybe difficult, so it's okay to use a non-stick in this case 

Method:

1. Boil jaggery with water in a deep bowl, till it you get the three string consistency. Another way to check consistency is take a bowl of water, add a drop of mixture to it. If it falls into the bottom in the shape of a ball, it's done.

2. Dry roast cashews & salt in an iron pan till they turn golden in a low flame.

3. Add jaggery syrup & the puree. Increase the flame. Let it boil, till you get the right consistency of a fudge. The mixture will become like a non-stick clay happily dancing to your tune in the pan. This tests patience. So, to fasten the process, you can add coconut flour too. I don't do it. I like the taste to be pure.
5. Drop the mixture in a parchment & press down with spatula. Allow it to cool & let it chill for an hour.

Vegan Dessert Challenge- Day 4

- Kirti Tarang Pande

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 Walnut Halwa

Ingredients:

1. Coarsely Crushed Walnuts- 1 cup
2. Grated/ Powdered Jaggery- 3/4 cup
3. Fennel seeds- 1 tsp (only in summers)
4. Water- 1/2 cup
5. Coconut milk - 1 cup
6. Rawa (semolina)- 1tbsp
7. Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil jaggery with water & fennel seeds in a deep bowl, till it melts. Avoid fennel seeds if it's not too hot, since their aroma empowers walnuts'. Don't over boil jaggery otherwise you won't get the right consistency.

2. Dry roast semolina in an iron pan till it turns golden.Semolina prevents the halwa from becoming pasty.

3. Add the walnuts and cook over low flame till the mixture becomes dark brown like chocolate (approx 7 minutes). I prefer walnuts coarsely crushed to because of the texture it bring.
4. Add jaggery syrup, cardamom powder & coconut milk. Increase the flame. Let it boil till it becomes dry.
5. Serve hot. I love it so much that I don't garnish it with anything.

How is it different:

Tastes same. Looks same. Equally rich (courtesy: Omega 3 of walnuts).

Vegan Dessert Challenge- Day 3

- Kirti Tarang Pande

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 Til Ke Laddoo

This is the simplest & quickest dessert in the world! Takes me just 5 minutes. So, I make it on the days, I have 6 am yoga class, so that I can wrap up with my cooking & be in Shala on time.

Ingredients:

1. White Til- 1 cup
2. Grated/ Powdered Jaggery- 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Dry roast tilin a heavy bottom iron pan.

2. Grind the til & jaggery together in the mixer
3. Roll out lemon sized balls. The oil from till will hold your laddoo together.
You're done!

How is it different:

It's not :)

Vegan Dessert Challenge: Day 2

- Kirti Tarang Pande

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 Oats Kasar

Ingredients:

1. Oats- 1 cup
2. Grated/ Powdered Jaggery- 3/4 cup
3. Saunf- 1 tbsp
4. Water- 4 tbsps
5. Geated Coconut - 1 tbsp
6. Peanut Butter- 1tbsp
7. Cashew nut & Golden Raisins: For Garnish

Method:

1. Dry roast Oats in a heavy bottom iron pan. It will bring out nice aroma to it. Don't let it turn turn brown. If your pan is nicely hot, it won't take more than 5 seconds. Clear the oats off the pan.

2. Dry roast grated coconut. Its aroma will compliment oats'. Clear it from the pan.

3. Add water in the pan. When it starts boiling (It happens quickly) add jaggery. When jaggery starts melting, add saunf to it. The taseer of jaggery is hot, in summers one must neutralize it with cooling effect of saunf.
4. When the jaggery dissolves add oats & coconut to it.

Side step:
At this point, I moist my palms with oil & roll 3 lemon sized laddoos for my husband (he is watching his calories)

Back to main cooking: 

5. When the mixture is dry, turn off the flame & add peanut butter. I make peanut butter at home- The usual way, just replace honey with Maple Syrup, because; a. I am Vegan, b. Ayurveda frowns upon mixing honey, oil & salt.

6. Garnish with raisins & almonds. 

How is it different:

Traditionally kasar is made by frying atta in ghee. So, this tastes nothing like the traditional one. It's not better/worse, it's totally different.