Chai tiramisu cake has a delicious, moist, chai-infused cake with layers of cardamom cream dusted with a cocoa-chai topping. It is an absolutely fabulous fusion dessert perfect for Diwali or any special occasion! (soy-free with gluten-free or nut-free option)

We’re actually making a super quick cake for this chai tiramisu, instead of using ladyfingers. The rich, creamy textures of the cake and cardamom cream give you the decadence of tiramisu without any eggs or dairy needed.

You can make this with vegan ladyfingers, if you can find those, or you can use vegan cake rusks. Cake rusks are like plain biscotti available in Indian stores, and they work well as a substitute for ladyfingers. Just soak them in the chai, and use them for layering. Or, you can make this simple cake with just a few ingredients.

I heard you about wanting a cake that used a cream topping that didn’t need a freezer to set. The cardamom cream for this chai tiramisu cake sets up thick and spreadable at room temperature, no freezer needed.

Whether you make the cake from scratch or use one of the substitutions, this incredibly delicious chai tiramisu is a hit at any dinner party. It also freezes well, so you can make it ahead. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Why You’ll Love Chai Tiramisu

• quick, easy, moist, delicious cake soaked in flavorful milk chai
• rich, decadent cardamom cream that sets up with no freezer needed
• cocoa-chai sprinkle on top for extra flavor
• soy-free with gluten free or nut-free options

Continue reading: Chai Tiramisu Cake (Chaimisu!)

The post Chai Tiramisu Cake (Chaimisu!) appeared first on Vegan Richa.

Dal Makhani is one of the most ordered Indian dish in restaurants. You can make authentic, buttery, rich dal makhani at home. It’s just as good as the restaurant version! Black gram and kidney beans are simmered in a creamy spiced sauce and is perfect for special occasions or a great dinner. With Instant Pot and Sauce pan instructions. (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free option).

Love ordering Dal Makhani at restaurants? You’ll love this homemade version even more! This is adapted from my home-style dal makhani that’s on the blog and in my books. The difference is that this version has more spices, including some whole spices, which create more layers of flavor. 

This version of dal makhani is a little bit more involved than my home-style version. It has both a base sauce and a spiced oil. This levels up the flavor and adds a smoky, creamy flavor, like restaurants usually serve.  There’s also a lot more Kashmiri chili powder in this version compared to the home-style one. 

The home-style recipe is quicker and still delicious, but this one takes it up another couple of notches, simmering the beans in a deeply-flavored sauce.

Makhani means both “butter” and “like butter,” and the dish is called dal makhani, both because of the butter content and the creamy, buttery texture of the dal. The goal is to cook the beans long enough that they become soft and almost break down into the sauce, thickening it and creating a smooth consistency. For the right texture, I prefer to use a pressure cooker / instant pot, but you can also cook it in a saucepan. I included both methods in the recipe.

After cooking the beans, we make a delicious sauce with whole spices, aromatics, and ground spices, then add the cooked beans to it. Then, we prepare a spice oil with toasted fenugreek leaves, Kashmiri chili, smoked paprika, and a smoky burnt cinnamon stick. Burning the cinnamon stick for just half a second before adding it to give the dal its smoky restaurant-style flavor.

Traditionally, restaurants achieve this smoky flavor by using food-grade charcoal. They place a piece of hot charcoal in a bowl with oil, which immediately smokes. Then, they nestle the bowl inside the dal pot and cover the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. If you don’t want to use charcoal or burnt cinnamon, liquid smoke can also work.

Why You’ll Love Dal Makhani

• creamy, buttery dal with two kinds of beans
• deep flavor from the sauce and the spice oil, no dairy needed!
• flexible! Cook the beans in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free with an oil-free option

Continue reading: Restaurant-Style Dal Makhani

The post Restaurant-Style Dal Makhani appeared first on Vegan Richa.

This foolproof blender recipe creates perfectly fudgy blondies studded with chocolate chips. Allergy-friendly, protein-packed, and absolutely delicious.

I have used chickpeas and lentils in various ways to make healthier desserts already on the blog. There is my chickpea cookie pie, my chickpea brownies, my lentil brownies, and my lentil cookie dough brownie bars.

There are just so many ways to use all these legumes, so I decided to try using white beans. Chickpeas can sometimes be a little bit more grainy and gritty, even when you blend them That’s because chickpeas have thicker skin. The texture of the bean is also a bit more gritty compared to creamy white beans, so white beans actually are a great option to use in dessert recipes instead of chickpeas.

I made these blondies with white beans and tahini. Usually, I add some kind of nut butter to my brownies or cookie pies. I wanted to keep this recipe nut-free, so I’m using tahini here. But if you don’t want to use tahini, you can just add some smooth almond butter or peanut butter.

It’s a super simple recipe with just a few ingredients. Just add everything to a blender or a food processor, blend, then transfer to a baking pan. Add your chocolate chips and chunks if you want, and bake. That’s it!

These are amazing and super easy, and you’re going to want to make them again and again.

Why You’ll Love White Bean Blondies

• super easy – you make the batter in the blender!
• lots of protein and fiber from the beans and tahini
• versatile! Make it with chocolate chips or use the snickerdoodle variation
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Fudgy White Bean Blondies – Soy & Nut Free

The post Fudgy White Bean Blondies – Soy & Nut Free appeared first on Vegan Richa.

Chataka Dal is a spicy flavorful Dal from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is made from yellow split pigeon peas simmered along with tomatoes, then seasoned with a spicy chili tempering. Gluten-free, soy free and nut free.

I grew up in Maharashtra state and the dishes of this particular cuisine have a special place in my heart! Simple dals, bhaji like my jackfruit brown chickpea bhaji, saoji , kohlapuri, and Zunka are already on the blog! You can find misal pav and Amti dal  in my cookbook.

This Chataka dal is another dish I love – it’s a simple dal with few ingredients but trust me, it’s far from simple in taste. It’s fiery with the added chili powder tempering. As always, you can adjust the spice level to your preference.

To serve, I serve with flatbread or rice. This dish goes incredibly well with rice but you could also serve this with cauliflower rice.

Dals are soul food with many variations from various states and regions in India.
There are several types of Dals and legumes used in Indian cuisine. You can see a list with pictures here.
This Chataka dal is quick and delicious. Traditionally it used 1-2 tablespoon of the Indian chili powder, but that is going to be a lot of heat for most . So I use less. You can use whichever lentils or split peas you have for this recipe. Just cook them long enough until tender and then add the tempering/Tadka.

More daal recipes:

• Sabut Masoor Ki Daal; Spiced Lentil Soup
• Dhaba Style Butter Dal (vegan)
• Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)
• Instant Pot Dal Bukhara; Dump and Done Creamy Black lentils
• Spicy Urad dal

Continue reading: Chataka Dal – Spicy Maharashtrian Toor Dal

The post Chataka Dal – Spicy Maharashtrian Toor Dal appeared first on Vegan Richa.

This rich and creamy Caramelized Onion Dal is the perfect comfort food for a cold day! It is bursting with flavor from caramelized onions and whole spices which are tempered in oil! Serve with rice for a delicious Indian meal.

Coming at you with a simple lentil dal that is bursting with flavor. This is another dal that I just made one night when I was craving a light dal and rice meal.

This caramelized onion dal is a creamy concoction of two types of lentils – red and yellow ones – which are cooked on the stove or using an Instant Pot and then simmered along with fragrant seasoned oil – tadka (tempering).

The caramelized onions add a whole bunch of umami flavor while the cumin and black pepper mixture added to the tempering provide some heat and a refreshing flavor!

To take this dish to the next level of deliciousness we serve this lentil dish drizzled with another round of tempering. This second mix of whole spices fried in oil until sizzling and aromatic gets folded through the creamy dal just before serving

Use whatever lentils you have on hand. I used a mix of yellow and red lentils. You can cook them on the stovetop or in the instant pot.

More daal recipes:

Dhaba Style Butter Dal (vegan)

Sabut Moong Dal  Creamy Green Mung Beans

Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)

Masoor Dal Tadka (Indian Split Red Lentil Dal)

Spicy Urad Dal (Black Gram Lentil Dal)

Continue reading: Caramelized Onion Dal

The post Caramelized Onion Dal appeared first on Vegan Richa.

20 Easy and Hearty Vegan casseroles from breakfast to weeknight Dinners! Pastas, breakfast casseroles, protein meals, cornbread chili casserole, curry casseroles and more! Gf Soyfree Nutfree options

I always crave a hearty casserole dish on a cold winter night. There’s something about a big, steaming helping of rigatoni or baked curry that always warms me up from the inside and satisfies heart and tummy alike.

Casseroles are most times super easy to put together and family-friendly and they travel well, making them perfect for potlucks and dinner parties! While trends come and go casseroles have clearly stood the test of time. I also converted some of my Indian recipes to casseroles! So all cook in just 1 pan.

Here is a collection of my favorite casserole dishes. They are all super simple so make and easy to prepare in advance! We’re starting with some sweet and savory breakfast casseroles before looking at some choices for lunch and dinner.

Table of Contents

• Breakfast Casseroles
• Lunch and Dinner Casseroles
• Sides

Breakfast Casseroles

Many More Baked oatmeal here.

Lunch & Dinner Vegan Casseroles

Sides

The post 20 Best Vegan Casseroles appeared first on Vegan Richa.

This easy 1 Pot 30 minute Vegan Irish Stew comes together within minutes with simple ingredients and has the most comforting, round and earthy flavor. Leftovers keep for days and will taste even better the next day. Make it for dinner tonight!

There is nothing quite as comforting as a big bowl of stew. This recipe for vegan stew is super easy made with simple ingredients that bring a lot of flavor!

Traditional Irish stew is made with pork or beef and often stout or cider is added. And while we do skip the meat and use a satisfying mix of potatoes, mushrooms and carrots instead, we also add beer to give this stew its deep earthy flavor.

The stew is thickened with flour but you could add cornstarch instead. Also feel free to play around with the veggies. Sweet potatoes would be nice here and so would be peas or even asparagus.

Got some vegan protein left from a past dinner or some vegan sausage? Toss it right in.

More vegan soups and stews:

Vegan French Onion Soup

Vegan Hot and Sour Soup with Ramen

Vegan Lentil Mushroom Stew

Green Chili Enchilada Soup

Continue reading: Vegan Irish Stew

The post Vegan Irish Stew appeared first on Vegan Richa.