Delightfully Delicious Diyas

Name: Delightfully Delicious Diyas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup coconut milk; Pinch of saffron strands (kesar); Pinch of ground cardamom (elaichi); 2 tsp rice flour; ½ tsp cornstarch; Vegan sweetener of choice (I’ve used organic unbleached cane sugar, to my desired sweetness); Blanched, dried almonds; Natural yellow food coloring derived from turmeric (curcumin); Strands of saffron to look like flames of diyas

It is believed that sweet foods add sweetness to our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the festivities with a healthy mithai? The delightfully delicious diyas are my creation - it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and also free from artificial additives and colorings.

Recipe by Seema Shah

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Cuisine: Indian
Contains: nuts

Ingredients

For the filling:

1 cup coconut milk
Pinch of saffron strands (kesar)
Pinch of ground cardamom (elaichi)
2 tsp rice flour
½ tsp cornstarch
Vegan sweetener of choice (I’ve used organic unbleached cane sugar, to my desired sweetness)

Outer layer and Garnish

Blanched, dried almonds
Natural yellow food coloring derived from turmeric (curcumin)
Strands of saffron to look like flames of diyas

Method

Select molds to make these desserts (like silicone mini cupcake molds).
Melt some vegan cooking chocolate and coat the inside of the molds. The coating should be at least 2mm thick to hold the weight of the filling. Let these set well.
In a saucepan, warm the coconut cream/milk. Add saffron, cardamom, rice flour, sweetener, and cornstarch until the mixture thickens. Let the mixture cool down and thicken slightly.
Use a spoon to fill the chocolate molds with the mixture. Let these set in a cool area.
Carefully remove the set diyas from the molds.
Decorate blanched almonds with a natural plant-based food coloring (like a curcumin/turmeric-based natural yellow food dye) and strands of saffron to look like flames. Place one of these in the middle of each delightfully delicious diya just before serving.
Enjoy with a smile ☺ Indulging in them mindfully while appreciating this delightful dessert in its full glory of aroma, texture, and taste!
Variations: Try using different types of vegan cooking chocolate, different flavors in the filling according to festivities, decorate creatively with marzipan, fondant, and with other edible decorations.

Notes

Personal Note: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food" - Hippocrates. This quote is my inspiration to create healthy recipes which are a delight to eat. This recipe was a great hit one Diwali, bringing traditional flavors together in a creative way.