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!)

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Vegan Chicken 555 reimagines a beloved South Indian street-style appetizer. Crisp golden tofu is coated in a richly spiced sauce infused with fennel, ginger, garlic, coriander, and peppers,  and enough heat to make you reach for seconds (and maybe a cold drink).  gluten free, nut free. soy free option.

This is another one in my series creating vegan versions of these amazing, meat-heavy, regional Indian appetizers. There’s just so much variety in all of these super delicious snacks and appetizers, and sometimes you don’t find those flavors and that spice in the vegetarian appetizers.

You can use this recipe with tofu, soy curls, chickpea tofu, chickpeas, or vegetables, like cauliflower. Basically, you coat your protein or vegetables of choice with this amazing, flavorful batter, and either pan fry or bake it. 

Then, we make this easy, spicy, and delicious sauce mixture. It’s kind of a dry sauce, and you toss the crisped tofu “chicken” in it. Oh my god, it’s so incredibly delicious and also pretty spicy!

You can adjust the spice level to your preference. There are four kinds of chilies in this tofu 555: Kashmiri chili powder in the batter, and green chilies, cayenne, and red pepper flakes in the sauce. To get the flavor with less heat, reduce any or all of those. The combination of peppers adds a ton of flavor, so you definitely want to use some of each, even if you don’t use the full amounts. You can use a milder green chili to manage the heat, too,  if you prefer.

Basically, adjust the heat based on your preference, but definitely try this vegan chicken 555. It’s just so fabulously delicious!

Tofu 555 is great on its own or in crunchy salads with juicy fruits like apples, pears, or mangoes, or with roasted or fresh vegetables. A cucumber salad with a simple lime, salt, and pepper dressing also pairs wonderfully with this Indian appetizer. Or, you can make wraps with lettuce, creamy dressing, and fresh green chilis or pickled jalapeños. 

No matter how you serve it, you have got to try vegan chicken 555!

Why You’ll Love Chicken 555

• crispy tofu in thick, spicy sauce with flavors of fennel, ginger, garlic, coriander, and 4 kinds of peppers
• easily adjust the heat to your preference
• use your plant based protein or use veggies of choice.
• naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option

Continue reading: Vegan Chicken 555 Appetizer

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Sticky, crispy, ginger- and garlic-packed tofu Manchurian is an easy and delicious meal over rice, quinoa, noodles, or lettuce wraps. This popular Indo-chinese sauce has a sweet heat that is absolutely addictive! (nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options)

Manchurian sauce is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese sauces, and it’s one of my favorites. You can use it in many different ways to make a variety of dishes. You can find it on restaurant menus paired with crispy fried chicken, crispy cauliflower, or fried veggie balls coated in the thick, sticky sauce. 

This sauce is absolutely delicious, and it has tons of ginger and garlic, so be ready to chop up a lot of both.

You can also make a thinner version of Manchurian sauce to pair with rice, very saucy veggie balls, crispy chicken, or noodles. I have a couple of different ways to use Manchurian sauce on the blog that use these variations.

Today, let’s make tofu Manchurian. We toss tofu in rice flour and cornstarch to make a really crispy coating, then pan-fry it until it gets an amazing crunch. We make the Manchurian sauce in the same pan, then toss the crispy tofu in it right before serving, so it keeps that satisfying crunch. 

Top your tofu Manchurian it with green onions, and serve it with rice, quinoa, noodles, or lettuce wraps. Or enjoy it as a starter on its own!

Why You’ll Love Tofu Manchurian

• crispy tofu in sticky-sweet ginger-garlic Manchurian sauce
• 1-pan dish ready in about 30 minutes
• flexible! Serve as a starter or over rice, grains, noodles, or in lettuce wraps.
• naturally nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options

Continue reading: Indo-Chinese Crispy Tofu Manchurian (1-pan, 30 minutes)

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Indian Chaat meets Tostadas! Cilantro mint lime chutney marinated beans on crunchy tostadas with sweet maple lime sauce and cooling yogurt, are an Indian fusion dish that’s a perfect starter, snack, or even entree! No cook (Options for soy-free nut-free gluten-free)

These no-cook tostadas use canned beans, prepared tostadas, and lots of delicious sauces – no cooking needed! The only cooking you’d need to do is if you are making your tostadas from tortillas. Prepared tostadas are readily available in most grocery stores.

I wanted to make a fun dish with beans, and I took inspiration from chaat, which is a family of Indian snacks or street food characterized by these awesome combinations of different textures and flavors. Especially papri chaat which has crisp crackers paired with mashed potatoes or chickpeas or both and chutneys, sauces and yogurt for a fantastic salad like hearty nachos if you will. Many chaat recipes have crispy, spicy, sweet, and tangy all together. They’re great as snacks or can be a refreshing meal.

I took inspiration from those flavors and textures. Usually, I make this chickpea potato chaat with small crackers, where you take some cooked chickpeas and cooked potatoes, toss them with some spices and chutneys, and layer them with yogurt, more chutneys, and some chopped crunchy veggies.

I turned that dish into this tostada, where we take crispy tostadas and make marinated beans that are soaked in a delicious green chutney, instead of chickpeas, along with cucumber and onion. We top the tostadas with these beans and then add a good drizzle of seasoned non-dairy yogurt and this sweet, tangy, maple-lime sauce to bring all of those flavors together. It’s absolutely fantastic and delicious! The maple lime sauce is a sub for tamarind date chutney. If you have tamarind chutney, use that for more Indian chaat flavor.
Try more Indian salads- Mango Zucchini chickpea Indian spiced oil salad and my Kachumber Salad !

This recipe is very versatile. If you want to control the heat, use less of the green chili, and choose a milder chili.  If you don’t have tostadas, you can make your own! Those instructions are in the recipe notes. If you don’t like cilantro, you can make a mint chutney with more mint leaves instead of the cilantro.

Chutney bean tostadas are just fabulously crispy, zesty, refreshing, and hearty. They are a perfect summer meal!

Why You’ll Love Chutney Bean Tostadas

• perfect warm weather meal or snack – no cooking required!
• incredible combination of flavors and textures! marinated beans, sweet and savory chutneys, creamy cooling cumin yogurt drizzle, on crunchy tostadas
• soy-free and nut-free with easy gluten-free option

Continue reading: Cilantro Mint Chutney White Beans over Crispy Tostadas (no-cook! Papri Chaat inspired)

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Tofu majestic is a vegan version of the popular South Indian starter, chicken majestic. Spicy, crispy tofu in a thick, spicy sauce is an absolutely delicious starter or side! You can easily control the heat, if you don’t like your food too spicy. (Options for gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free)

Chicken majestic is pretty popular in restaurants in the state of Andhra Pradesh, and especially in the city of Hyderabad. It is a spicy, crispy chicken dish that is usually fried or pan-fried and tossed in a thick, delicious, spicy sauce. It has elements from indo Chinese cuisine and the combination with South Indian flavors makes it a finger licking can’t stop good appetizer!

It is served as-is as a starter with a side of chutneys or a side salad. You can also add it to wraps or serve with rice. It is absolutely mindblowingly delectable and delicious. The tofu is crisped with some cornstarch and rice flour and some spices. Then tossed in a thick sauce to coat. If you want to keep these crisp, toss and serve immediately!

Tofu majestic is definitely hot with 4 heat elements in it, there’s green chilies, Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper and sambal oelek! It can get hotter depending on the green chilies that you use. To manage the heat, use milder green chilies and use less of the black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder.

I like to serve this with a side salad of onion and cucumber. It’s kind of like quick pickled onion with Indian spices called laccha pyaza. See the recipe notes for instructions for making the crispy, vibrant laccha onions. You can also serve with chutneys of choice or a creamy dip on the side to mellow the heat.

Why You’ll Love Tofu Majestic

• flavorful, crunchy, battered tofu in a thick, spicy sauce
• bake or pan fry the tofu
• versatile! Serve on its own, with chutney or creamy dipping sauce, with a fresh salad, or as wraps
• easy to make gluten-free, nut-free, and even soy-free.

Continue reading: Tofu Majestic (Vegan Chicken Majestic)

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Tofu Koliwada is a plant-based version of the popular regional Indian appetizer. It’s like a tofu nugget with tons of fiery heat and so delicious served with green chutney or other of choice. It’s super delicious, crispy and packs flavor! (gluten free and nut-free with soy-free options)

I’ve been veganizing a bunch of decadent, meat-based Indian curries on the blog for a while, and I decided to switch gears. I wanted to explore these regional Indian starters and appetizers, which are just so flavorful —especially some of the meat-based ones. They’re pretty wild, with a lot of different sauces, flavors, and spices.

So welcome to veganizing some amazing appetizers! Let’s start with this delectable koliwada.

Koliwada is a popular crispy appetizer in Indian restaurants, especially around Mumbai city. It’s usually made with prawns ,is fried, and has a signature flavor. It originated with influences from Mumbai coastal cuisine and Punjabi cuisine.

The story goes that a man had moved down to an area close to Mumbai near Koliwada and created this dish, which became super popular.

Koliwada is usually made with prawns, shrimp, or chicken, but we’re using tofu. If you don’t want to use tofu, you can use an alternate protein of your choice.

It is usually served with a green chutney that is slightly different than the usual. It has onion tomato and tamarind and is vibrant and spicy sour with a hint of sweet!

Basically, all of the flavor is in the batter, the spices. It’s kind of like tofu nuggets or crispy fried chicken, but Indian, with tons and tons of heat. Serve it with the vibrant cilantro-mint chutney listed below or with Schezwan chutney, tamarind chutney, or mango chutney.

Why You’ll Love Koliwada

• crispy, super spicy tofu with adjustable heat
• delicious as a side or make it a meal by adding to a wrap or salad
• incredible mint chutney for dipping comes together in the blender
• versatile recipe – use dry coating or a batter, bake or pan fry!
• naturally gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free options

Continue reading: Tofu Koliwada (Indian Spicy Crispy Tofu) with Cilantro-Mint Chutney

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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

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Saag Cornbread Casserole – a fragrant Indian mustard greens stew baked in the oven and topped with a cornbread topping. So flavorful and comforting. Baked Sarson da saag Makki roti casserole. Nutfree Soyfree recipe.  Oil-free and gluten-free versions are included.

I am back with another Indian-inspired casserole dish! To help you try Indian flavors and foods in a a simpler format. Saag Cornbread Casserole – flavorful, super nourishing and oh-so satisfying.

Saag is a dish from the northern part of India that uses greens. It can use different types of greens that are locally available. The most common version uses either all mustard greens or a mix of mustard greens and spinach or bathua (a type of amaranth) leaves. It is often slow cooked for a while then mashed and cooked again to make a spiced mashed greens stew that is served topped with vegan butter, Indian pickle and with flatbread.

Saag is usually served with a maize flour/fine cornmeal based flatbread (called Makki ki roti).

Makki/makai ki roti (corn flatbread) is somewhat similar to Mexican corn tortillas but uses maize flour that hadn’t been nixtamalized.  Hence it has a different flavor and texture from corn tortillas. The process for making both the roti and saag can take quite some time, so I converted this delicious Punjabi comfort food staple into a simple casserole dish that you can make in a baking dish!

The greens used in this casserole are chopped up and placed at the bottom of the casserole dish alongside the tempered spices and flavors of Saag. I add some quinoa to increase the protein content of this vegan casserole dish. You can use split red lentils instead or some potatoes.

While our saag casserole bakes, we make a cornbread-type topping using Indian spices and cornmeal instead of making corn flatbread on the side.

Then we layer that cornbread mixture over the pre-cooked greens,  cover it with parchment paper and bake the whole assembled casserole again until the cornbread sets.

I love to serve this as is or with some vegan butter on top. It’s hearty, delicious and checks all the Makki ki roti and sarson da saag flavor and the ease of a casserole.

More vegan casserole dishes:

Shahi Tofu Kofta Casserole

Jalapeno Chili Cornbread Casserole

Lentil Curry Casserole

Baked Kitchari Casserole (Spiced Lentil Rice Casserole)

South Indian Eggplant Curry Recipe (Baked Casserole)

Madras Curry Tofu Casserole

Baked tofu curry – makhani 

Continue reading: Saag Cornbread Casserole

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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

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This Vegan Matar Tofu is a plant-based spin on Matar Paneer(Pea Paneer Curry). It uses crispy pan-fried or baked tofu instead of paneer cheese which is simmered in a flavorful Indian sauce! Serve with flatbread for the ultimate Indian comfort dinner. Soyfree substitute included

This quick vegan Tofu “paneer” and pea curry is my vegan version of paneer pea curry. Matar Paneer(curried pea paneer cheese)  used to be a popular weekend meal. It has its signature spices and flavors and can be made with thicker or thinner sauce.

The sauce is flavored with toasted cumin seeds, some fresh julienne ginger, dried fenugreek leaves and thickened a bit with besan or flour.

In the traditional version fresh or toasted cubes of paneer are added to the sauce. I use baked tofu instead of the paneer cheese. The tofu gets flavored with spices and nutritional yeast to add a cheesy flavor. and along with the peas, it makes for an amazing vegan matar tofu paneer.

The sauce is onion tomato based and usually doesn’t include a creamy component. You can add in some non dairy cream or coconut milk per preference.

More Vegan Tofu curries:

Malaysian Tofu Curry

Baked Tofu Curry (Easy Tofu Makhani)

Asparagus Curry with Spinach & Chickpea-Tofu

Madras Curry Tofu Casserole

Continue reading: Vegan Matar Tofu

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Vegan Chicken Changezi – marinated baked tofu chunks are simmered in a rich, mild tomato coconut gravy to create a vegan version of the popular spicy chicken changezi. Vegan & Gluten-free + Soy-free Option.

For a flavor-packed weeknight dinner that is plant-based and gluten-free, try this Vegan Chicken Changezi! Chicken Changezi is a popular dish usually found in restaurants in Delhi. It is a rather spicy chicken curry for which the chicken is marinated, then cooked or pan-fried.

While it cooks you make a sauce that varies a lot based on the restaurant. Sometimes the onions and cashews are fried together and blended up for the sauce. Sometimes  chopped onions are cooked to golden and then blended.

To balance the heat from the chili, some cream is added. For the cream part, you can use non-dairy cream such as cashew cream, or use cashew milk, coconut milk, or some yogurt.

For this recipe, we use tofu that has been torn up into organic shapes and marinated in a flavorful marinade and then baked. You can also pan-fry the tofu if you like.

The original recipe requires the premade sauce to be reheated and kind of panfried in some butter and then the tofu/vegan chicken is added to the sauce and then garnished with cilantro, chili, and some more butter and served. But for simplifying the recipe, I cook the sauce and then add the baked tofu. You can also use store bought vegan chicken subs, soycurls or chickpeas here.

More easy tofu curries:

Malaysian Tofu Curry

Shahi Tofu Kofta Casserole

Vegan Tofu Rogan Josh (Tofu in Chili Yogurt Sauce)

Tofu Vindaloo Recipe (Indian Tangy Chili Sauce)

Continue reading: Vegan Chicken Changezi

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