Vegan Cashew Halwa (Naturally Sweetened)
This super easy vegan cashew halwa is sweetened with dates. The base comes together in a blender, then give it a spin on the stove for a bit and you're done!
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 6-7 pitted Medjool dates ((I find this is just enough but for a sweeter halwa, add eight dates))
- 1½ cups oat milk ((or any nondairy milk))
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ cup blanched almond flour ((or ground almonds, optional))
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes ((or use freshly grated coconut. Optional but nice))
- A generous pinch saffron strands ((optional))
- Nuts and dry fruits and/or more coconut flakes
- Blend the cashews, dates and nondairy milk until very smooth.
- Heat the oil in a nonstick kadhai or wok or a large skillet. Add the date-cashew puree and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- When the mixture thickens, add to it the cardamom powder and almond flour or powdered almonds. Mix well and continue cooking until the mixture starts leaving the sides of the wok and gets darker.
- Add shredded coconut, if using, and mix it in.
- Continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the halwa becomes slick. You'll see oil coating the bottom of the kadhai.
- At this point stir in the saffron, if using, and turn off the heat.
- Garnish with nuts and dry fruits, if desired, and more sweetened coconut flakes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
In my home we've celebrated a vegan Diwali for years now with tasty and dairy-free sweets like vegan gulab jamun, vegan barfi, vegan kaju katli and vegan rabri, among many others. Now here's another delectable recipe to add to this list of goodies: vegan cashew halwa.
This is a special dish, not just because it is delicious but it is also actually good for you, sweetened as it is with dates. Dates are packed with fiber, magnesium, potassium, as well as antioxidants that shield you from heart disease and cancer, and they do a wonderful job of sweetening desserts without any need for processed, refined sugars that can harm you.
Before I move on a gentle reminder to my fellow Indians who are celebrating Diwali in India to protect street animals, and your pets, from fireworks. While fireworks have long been part of Diwali celebrations, we are now more aware than ever of the immense harm they cause animals who are far more sensitive to those loud and fiery outbursts than we are.
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Street animals are especially vulnerable and some even become victims of deliberate cruelty at this time. In addition to not using fireworks, try and offer a safe shelter for street animals in your neighborhood this Diwali. It's the best way to teach future generations the importance of compassion and to make the gods smile on you. .
A happy Diwali to you!
Why you'll love this vegan Cashew Halwa
It's delicious. The cashews along with the dates, cardamom, saffron and coconut make an addictive and incredibly delicious dish.
It's easy. Unlike most Indian sweets which can involve a lot of work, this one takes under 30 minutes to make. You blend up the cashews and dates and then heat it all up in a wok for a few more minutes. It's foolproof and anyone can make it.
It needs just eight ingredients, of which three are optional. You can also add more nuts and dry fruits for garnish.
1 cup raw cashews. You can use cashew pieces here, no need to break out the whole cashews, which are pricier.
6-7 Medjool dates. The dates are the only sweetener in this recipe and this quantity should be more than enough for a sweet Halwa. However, if you like your Indian sweets really sweet, as they tend to be, use up to eight. If using Deglet Noor dates, which are not as sweet, you might need three or four more dates.
1 ½ cups oat milk. Oat milk is great here because it's creamy, but you can also use almond milk or cashew milk or coconut milk.
1 teaspoon coconut oil. Or any unflavored vegetable oil, definitely not olive.
1 teaspoon ground cardamom. I often get this question so would like to clarify that for Indian sweets you'd always use green cardamom, not brown. Brown cardamom, which has a musky, earthy flavor, is best used in savory dishes.
¼ cup ground almonds or almond flour. This adds a nice depth of flavor but you can skip it.
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes. You can leave these out, but they add a nice complexity to the texture of the halwa, and more deliciousness. Keep in mind that storebught sweetened coconut flakes are not naturally sweetened. You can also use freshly grated coconut, which tends to be sweet.
A pinch of saffron strands. This, like the coconut, is optional, but adds a nice flavor.
Nuts and dry fruits for garnish. Blanched, sliced almonds, pistachios, apricots, raisins are all fine. I used some dry cranberries for a local, seasonal flavor.
How to make vegan cashew halwa
Place the cashews and dates (pitted) in a blender. Add the nondairy milk and blend into a very smooth paste. If your blender is not powerful you will need to soak the cashews with the milk for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the coconut oil in a kadhai or wok or large skillet, preferably nonstick. Add the pureed cashews and dates to it and let it cook over medium-low heat. Mix frequently and don't leave the stove unattended and be attentive as nuts can burn easily.
Continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the halwa becomes slick. You'll see some oil coating the bottom of the kadhai.
Storage instructions
The Halwa will keep at room temperature for a couple of days and in the refrigerator for a week.
