Malai Ladoo – Vegan Richa

Step 1: Prepare Cashew Mixture

Soak cashews and drain them. Add the drained cashews, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons coconut flour to a blender. Blend for about 1 minute until smooth. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate the ingredients, then blend again for 30 seconds. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the mixture is very creamy.

Step 2: Cook the Mixture

Add the blended cashew mixture to a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and mix it in. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture gets lumpy and eventually thickens into a smooth, thick, stiff batter. The mixture will initially stick to the pan but will start to leave the sides as it thickens.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients and Thicken

Once the mixture is evenly thick and no longer lumpy, add 1/2 cup fine almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds. Press and mix these ingredients in. Continue to cook for another few minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is evenly thick and leaves the sides of the pan.

Step 4: Chill the Dough

Transfer the thickened mixture to a plate or bowl. Put it in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Prepare Toppings and Form Ladoo

While the dough is chilling, chop 2 tablespoons of pistachios and prepare 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut for topping. Once the dough is chilled, use your hands to roll the mixture into equal balls. You can roll some in shredded coconut or top others with chopped pistachios. Edible silver leaf can also be used for garnish.

• When doubling or tripling the recipe, use a bit less liquid to blend the cashew mixture, otherwise it will take much longer for the mixture to thicken.

• If you can find green cardamom pods, use them for a fresher, more flowery scent. Slit them open, crush the black seeds, and add them.

• Adjust the sweetness based on your preference.

• To maintain a non-stick pan, hand wash only and use different pans for different foods (e.g., one for pancakes, another for stir-fries) as juices and acids from vegetables can affect the coating differently.

• Add vanilla extract for a different flavor.

• Add rose essence for a floral note.

• Add saffron for a traditional Indian flavor.

• Make truffles by rolling the balls in melted chocolate and then refrigerating them until the chocolate sets.