Masala chaach is pretty much a summer favorite in most Indian households across regions, and it’s not at all surprising that many miss gulping down glassfuls of this mildly spiced, refreshing, and hydrating drink on a hot day after going vegan.

But guess what? Vegan versions of chaach can be easily made at home! The most obvious way would be to substitute dairy curd with a non-dairy one in your regular chaach recipe, but what if you don’t have any non-dairy curd on hand? Still no worries, we’ve got you covered, read on 🙂

In India, one of the first questions people—especially “grown-ups”—ask on learning about veganism is, “Fer chai ka kya?” I was like that too! Even though I shifted to black tea when I stopped consuming dairy, I eventually learned that you could make delicious “regular” masala chai with cashew/almond/soy/coconut milk. Check out my non-vegan approved cashew milk tea here.

When it comes to non-dairy milks, there are numerous types we can make at home that can be used to substitute dairy milk in different recipes.

It’s summer—the perfect time to make and enjoy vegan versions of refreshing curd-based items like meethi lassi, masala chaach, raita, fruit yogurt, curd rice, etc. Here are 5+ easy, tried & tested variations of plant-based curd you can make at home.

Start off with making a starter culture—choose any of these 5 types of vegan curd starters—and you’re ready to go ahead and make yourself a bowl of rich and creamy vegan curd that can be used in place of dairy curd in any recipe.

Today, 23 March, is International Atheists’ Day 🙂 A big shout-out to all of you awesome vegan atheists over there!

I am personally non-religious and identified as an atheist for a while. However, over a period of time, I started believing in “imaginary” and mythical creatures like God, angels, unicorns, and good men. I’m still pretty much allergic to organized religion and get a lot of flak for that from my family.

I was never a “cheese person” so I never missed it after going vegan. However, my best friend, who once *loved* cheesy pizzas and pasta, definitely did. I started experimenting with cashew cheese recipes so that they could have an alternative. After a few trials (and some “errors”), this recipe happened which finally earned my “picky eater” friend’s vote of approval: “Tum aaj kal achcha cheese bana leti ho!” 

Yayy 🙂 Thanks, sweetheart, for kindling in me a love for vegan cooking!

From what I remember, this cashew cheese spread has a texture and flavor that kinda reminds me of the “garlic” and “pepper” variants of Amul cheese spread.  It’s smooth, creamy, savory, and so easy to make!

“Where do vegans get their calcium from?”

You know the drill. If you have been vegan for any length of time, there is no way you’d have escaped this question! Actually, there are numerous plant-based sources of calcium available (ever wonder from where do horses, elephants, rhinos, and hippos get their calcium? *hint: plants*)

Sesame seeds are amongst the richest sources of calcium (Google for more details). I like to add freshly ground sesame seeds to my smoothies, chilla batter, and roti dough.

There are numerous varieties of plant-based curds for us to enjoy! While the most common variants of dairy-free curds call for soy, peanuts, or cashews, it is very much possible to make a soy-free, nut-free, peanut-free and yet absolutely delicious vegan curd!

It was my friend Preeti Kapasi who first introduced me to the idea of melon seed & rice curd. Check out her original recipe here on her blog Vegan Foodsteps—one that has both the vegans and the non-vegans going gaga! It’s truly versatile and can be used in a number of sweet and savory dishes. A certified crowd-pleaser!

There are loads of vegan curd recipes on blogs and YouTube channels out there. Most of the online recipes use store-bought non-dairy curd as the starter. But… what if you don’t have the option of buying any vegan curd off the shelves in your local supermarket, as is the case in most Indian cities?

Relax! There are numerous ways of making your own vegan curd starter at home with some easily available ingredients.

Here are 5+ methods—all tried and tested—for you to try!

Today, I am sharing yet another method of making vegan curd starter at home! The thing is, you can make a curd starter out of almost anything. I learned about the various methods of making a curd starter from FB posts and comments—a big thank you to everyone who shares their curd-making adventures online!

This one is a super-simple method and works so well. So, if making vegan dahi has been on your to-do list for quite some time, just make a batch of this starter and get going!!

If you ask me, this one is the tastiest of all the varieties of vegan curd I’ve ever eaten! However, due to the cost factor—cashews aren’t cheap—I don’t make this regularly. This is more like an occasional weekend treat for me 🙂

If you love curd or have loved ones who do, then do try this some time. It’s really versatile and works well in all kinds of dishes that call for dairy curd—both savory and sweet.

And please do make it if you’ve vegan guests coming over for lunch. They’d definitely love you more for making this for them 😀