vegan spreads/dips

Today, we went for a picnic with friends and I made these spreads. I have been interested in veganism lately, so I veganised some old favourites of mine.

Beetroot - Almond spread

150g cooked beetroot, cut into chunks
4-5 tbsp ground almonds
50g dried apricots, roughly chopped
50g silken tofu
1 tbsp oil
2-4 tbsp lemon, lime or orange juice
salt, cumin, coriander and/or Harrissa to taste

Put all ingredients in a mixer or blend with a handheld blender.

Tofu-Pistachio-Pesto

200g silken tofu
up to 100g pistachio nuts
a handful of basil leaves and/or 8-10 mint leaves
2 cm ginger root, minced
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp oil
salt, pepper and sambal oelek to taste

Proceed as above.

steamed curds (baked yoghurt)

I learned this dish from a friend in Bangalore who made it properly, steaming it in a pressure cooker. I like to do it the fool-proof lazy way in the oven.

1 can sweetened condensed milk (375ml)
1 tub natural yoghurt (500g)
about half a teaspoon ground cardamom or other flavouring as desired

Preheat oven to 225 C.
Mix ingredients well. Pour into oven-proof dish (casserole, pie dish, springform, whatever shape you like). Put into pre-heated oven. Turn off oven. Leave in oven for some hours until set, preferably over night. Chill. I like to serve with fresh fruit or fruit coulis. Can be garnished with chopped pistachios, slithered almonds or whatever you like.