Tasty take on tradition

Peel the carrots and mince them to fine consistency in a vegetable shredder.

Ahead of Navratri, here’s a vegan twist to your favourite sweets. Saritha Sreedharan, a nutritionist and supporter of Veganuary India, shares guilt-free, dairy-free, and flourless sweets that honour both tradition and wellness.

Vegan Gajar Motichoor Laddu

Ingredients

Winter carrots (Gajar): 2, big

Jaggery powder/Brown sugar: 1 cup

Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp

Dry ginger powder: 1/4 tsp

Nuts/seeds: 3 tsp, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Peel the carrots and mince them to fine consistency in a vegetable shredder. Carrot size should look like motichoor.

2. Heat a heavy bottom pan. Add the minced carrots to the pan and roast them while tossing periodically on medium heat.

3. After about five-six minutes when the carrots are soft, add the jaggery powder/ brown sugar, mix well and allow it to cook for sometime.

4. Sprinkle cardamom powder, nuts, and ginger powder.

5. On medium heat, cook till the carrots get to binding consistency.

6. Try making a small laddu to check if it’s ready to bind. If not, cook for a few more minutes.

7. Allow this mixture to cool for a minute before making the laddus.

Vegan Sabudana Apple Kheer

Ingredients

Any nut milk: 2 cups

Sabudana: 3/4 cup, soaked

Custard apple: 1 cup, deseeded and mashed

Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp

Saffron: a few strands Mixed seeds, roasted: for garnish

METHOD

1. Soak sabudana in water for three to four hours.

2. Heat a little oil in a pan and cook sabudana till they become transparent.

3. Add thick nut milk, cardamom powder, saffron and mix well.

4. Let it to cook for a few minutes. Be careful to not boil the milk.

5. Remove from the heat and add mashed custard apple.

6. Serve in bowls and garnish with roasted mixed seeds.

Vegan Badam Halwa

Ingredients

Almond: 1 cup

Jaggery powder: 3/4 cup

Water: 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp

Saffron: a few strands

Any nut milk: 1/2 cup

METHOD

1. Powder almonds finely, do not remove the peel.

2. Use a pan with a handle. Add all the above ingredients to the pan. Mix well.

3. On medium heat, cook by stirring periodically.

4. As the almonds cook, the oil from the nuts are released, which is sufficient for the halwa. Cook till you get a halwa consistency.

5. Transfer to a bowl while it is still warm. Garnish with any crushed seeds.

6. The halwa can be stored for three days in a refrigerator.

7. You can choose to add fresh mango pulp as a topping.