Diwali 2025: 4 vegan treats to add to your festive menu for guilt-free indulgence

From hindustantimes.com

Diwali 2025: Try these plant-based, vegan recipes this Diwali. From dairy-free to plant-based materials, make your party menu ethical this season. 

Diwali 2025: As homes are decking up for decorations, kitchens are also preparing for grand Diwali feasts, whether it is for evening parties or afternoon brunches. With Diwali coming closer by the day, the excitement of last-minute touches is quite palpable. Those who are hosting parties are setting the menu and taking care of all the necessities, whether it is experimenting, improvising or sneaking in trial taste-tests as they go, trying to visualise how it's about to come together.

                                                       Prepare your snacks at home this Diwali, the vegan way. (Picture credit: Unsplash)

For this year's festive spread, vegan snacks are coming to the forefront, such as interesting spins on traditional sweets or high-end gourmet-like treats. But all of them promise gastronomic fervour, while being cruelty-free.

We have curated 4 chef-approved snack recipes that are vegan, which you can add to the menu, ensuring every guest feels welcome, regardless of their dietary restrictions.

1. Besan ladoo rochers

Recipe by: Pooja Masurkar, founding chef and culinary innovator at Pause in Mumbai

Besan ladoo rocher is a fun twist on your traditional sweet. (Picture credit: Pooja Masurkar)

A. Besan ladoo base-

Ingredients:

• Besan (chickpea flour) – 60 g
• Khandsari sugar – 40 g
• Water – 50 g
• Cashew butter – 20 g
• Cardamom powder – ⅛ tsp (a pinch)
• Nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp
• Vegan butter – 10 g

Method:

• Roast besan slowly until dark golden brown and nutty.
• In a separate pan, heat sugar and water until the sugar melts completely.
• Combine the syrup and vegan butter with the roasted besan.
• Add cashew butter and spices, mixing well until smooth and cohesive.
• After resting (4 hours or overnight), portion into ~20 g balls.
• Place a hazelnut in the centre of each, roll smooth, cling-wrap, and freeze for an hour before glazing.

B. Chocolate glaze-

Ingredients:

• Dark chocolate (70%) – 80 g
• Neutral oil – 10 g
• Cocoa butter – 20 g
• Pinch of salt
• Roasted chopped hazelnuts – 50 g

Method:

• Melt the chocolate and cocoa butter gently.
• Stir in oil and salt until smooth and glossy.
• Mix in the roasted hazelnuts.
• Temper before coating — bring the chocolate to the perfect shine and snap by cooling and gently reheating it to ~31°C.

Finishing touch:

• Once glazed, let the Rochers set until the chocolate firms up and catches the light with a soft sheen.

2. Vegan dark chocolate mousse

Recipe by Chef Shreyas Bhat, culinary director at Gaia in Bangalore

Vegan dark chocolate mousse has rich, evocative flavours. (Picture credit: Shreyas Bhat)

Ingredients:

• Silken tofu - 200g
• Soy milk - 50g
• Vegan dark chocolate - 200g
• Brown sugar - 50g (optional)

Method:

• Blend the tofu and soy milk in a blender till smooth with the brown sugar
• Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or on a hot water bath.
• Add the melted chocolate to the blender with the beaten tofu and blend till smooth.
• Pour the mixture into your choice of moulds or into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
• Serve with a sprinkle of sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, roasted pistachios, macerated figs and a berry coulis.
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3. Coconut pudding with blueberry compote, salted crunch and rose cookie

Recipe by Chef Karan Upmanyu, Chef and Partner of ParTTwo in Bangalore

Add the tarty flavours of blueberry to coconut in this pudding!(Picture credit: Generated by Gemini for visual reference)

Ingredients:

• Coconut Pudding
• Coconut Milk – 400 g
• Coconut Water – 350 g
• Coconut Cream – 200 g
• Lemon Zest – 20 g
• Kaffir Lime Leaves – 10 g
• Lemongrass – 10 g
• Galangal – 3 g
• Agar-Agar – 4 g
• Tender Coconut Flesh (chopped) – 300 g
• Blueberry Compote (or any berries of choice)
• Blueberries – 440 g
• Kaffir Lime – 6 g
• Brown Sugar – 60 g
• Orange Zest – 4 g
• Lemon Juice – 4 g
• Sherry Vinegar – 10 g (substitute any fruit vinegar)
• Salted Coconut Crunch
• Sugar – 250 g
• Flour – 250 g
• Fresh Toasted Coconut – 250 g
• Coconut Oil – 250 g
• Salt – 8 g
• Rose Cookie (Easily available at hot chip shops or bakeries)
• Rice Flour (fine) – 166 g
• Sugar – 15 g
• Coconut Milk – 30 g
• Salt – 1 g
• Oil – 2 g
• Sesame Seeds – 3 g
• Water – 5 g

Method:

A. Coconut pudding

• In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, coconut water, and coconut cream.
• Add lemon zest, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal. Gently bring to a simmer for 5–7 minutes to infuse flavours.
• Strain the mixture to remove aromatics.
• Return the infused liquid to the pot, add agar-agar, and whisk continuously over medium heat until dissolved (2–3 minutes).
• Fold in the chopped tender coconut flesh.
• Pour into serving bowls and refrigerate for 2–3 hours until set.

B. Blueberry compote

• Combine blueberries, brown sugar, and sherry vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add citrus zest and lemon juice.
• Cook gently until the berries break down and the mixture thickens to a jammy consistency (8–10 minutes).
• Cool completely before using.

C. Salted coconut crunch

• Preheat oven to 160°C.
• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in toasted coconut.
• Add melted coconut oil and toss until evenly coated.
• Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• Bake 15–20 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden brown and crisp.
• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

D. Rose cookie

• Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and lump-free; the batter should coat the back of a spoon.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and preheat the rose cookie iron.
• Dip the hot iron halfway into the batter, then immediately place it into hot oil.
• Shake gently until the cookie separates and turns golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and cool completely.

To assemble

• Top the set coconut pudding with a generous spoon of blueberry compote.
• Sprinkle cooled salted coconut crunch over the top for texture.
• Place a rose cookie delicately on top.
• Optional garnish: Edible flowers, micro mint, or a drizzle of reduced blueberry syrup.

4. Vegan tres leches with rose petals and pistachios

Recipe by Chef Suresh Kumar, founder of Marseli in Bangalore

This nutty dish contains a tasty flavour profile. (Picture credit: Suresh Kumar)

Ingredients:

A. For the cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup plant milk (almond, soy, or oat)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

B. For the soak (“three milks”)

• ½ cup vegan condensed milk (coconut-based or oat)
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
• ½ cup plant milk of choice
• 1 tsp rose water (optional but recommended)

C. For the topping

• 1 cup vegan whipped cream
• 2 Tbsp crushed pistachios
• 2 Tbsp edible rose petals

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8-inch baking pan.
• Make vegan buttermilk: Combine the plant milk and vinegar; let sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly.
• Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, vanilla, and the buttermilk mixture; stir gently until smooth.
• Bake: Pour into the prepared pan and bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.
• Soak: In a separate bowl, whisk together the three milks and rose water. Poke small holes all over the cake with a fork, then slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight, to allow the cake to absorb the liquid.
• Finish and serve: Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake, then sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals. Serve cold.
• Chef's tips: Use food-grade rose petals and pure rose water for the best aroma. A little goes a long way. To intensify the nutty flavour, add 1–2 tablespoons of finely ground pistachios to the batter. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the texture improves as it rests.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/recipe/diwali-2025-4-vegan-treats-to-add-to-your-festive-menu-for-guilt-free-indulgence-101760541814433.html

Question Corner: How does a vegan senior citizen handle Lenten fasting?

From catholicreview.org

Q: I am a longstanding vegan, so when Lent comes each year there’s nothing for me to skip; no meat is already my regular routine. But at age 70, and even if I wasn’t vegan, is it true that seniors are no longer bound by Lenten fasting and abstinence requirements? (Indiana)

A: The short answer is that, even at age 70, you are still bound to abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays — even if, in your case as a vegan, you wouldn’t be doing anything special or “extra” in this regard.

Canon 1252 of the Code of Canon Law tells us that “the law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year.” This means that children under the age of 14 are not strictly required to abstain from meat on Fridays. Though of course younger children may still abstain even without being bound to do so, and I imagine that in practice many if not most children raised in Catholic families will wind up observing Friday abstinence along with the rest of their household.

Notably, the canon does not name an upper age limit for abstinence, so we can conclude that after the age of 14 this obligation is binding for the rest of a Catholic’s life.

In contrast, Canon 1252 does give us both an upper and lower age for observing the church’s law on fasting, stating: “The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year.” Or in other words, Catholics are required to fast on the church’s two obligatory fast days, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, from the time they turn 18 — that is, reaching the age of majority or legal adulthood — until age 59 i.e., when they are beginning their 60th year of life, a year which is completed on their 60th birthday.

The church’s law does not give an explicit explanation for these different age ranges, but my own thought is that this is likely due to the varying level of difficulty between these two penitential practices. Occasionally going without meat, especially for non-vegans who can easily make up the “missing” protein with eggs, dairy or seafood, is not a health risk and would be physically taxing for only a very small number of people.

On the other hand, fasting — which in the Latin (a.k.a. “Roman”) Catholic discipline means eating only one full meal in a day with two smaller meals or snacks permitted if necessary — can be more challenging. So it makes sense that the church would not seek to strictly impose this on young people who may still be growing, nor on senior citizens whose strength may be naturally diminishing due to age.

But it’s good to keep in mind that canon law only gives us the basic minimum of what we should do, largely so that all the faithful “may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance” (Canon 1249) for the sake of community and a corporate witness to the faith.

These bare-bones common requirements are therefore not necessarily a comprehensive blueprint for each individual to actually grow in holiness most effectively, and so it would be worthwhile for many Catholics to prayerfully discern whether they might benefit from freely taking on some additional penitential practices appropriate to their particular life and vocation.

For example, while a vegan or vegetarian already fulfils the law of abstinence by just sticking to their usual meat-free eating habits, it might make sense for them to consider adopting an additional penance for Lent. However, this would be an optional choice made for a deepening of their own personal spirituality.

Likewise, Canon 1252 concludes its discussion of age limits by noting that: “pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.”

https://catholicreview.org/question-corner-how-does-a-vegan-senior-citizen-handle-lenten-fasting/