Shravan or Savan is the fifth month in the Hindu calendar. It marks the arrival and peak of the monsoon in different parts of India. Shravan is recognised as the most propitious time of the year when every day is a great day to flag off new beginnings.
This month is clustered with festivals like Janmashtami, Sinjara, Raksha Bandhan, Teej, Nag Panchami, Varalakshmi Vratam and others. Tied to these festivals are rituals and practices of discipline and self-restraint that help introspect, cleanse and heal. It’s a time to practice a healthy lifestyle by rising early, observing fasts, eating sattvic food and ditching meat, eggs and alcohol.
If you’ve been thinking of trying vegan, we bet there could not be a better time to say shubh aarambh!
Since meat and eggs are already avoided during this time, many Shravan recipes are vegan by default.
Vegan Shravan Foods
Check out this long list of eats you can enjoy during Shravan that are already vegan:
- Sabudana (tapioca) khichadi
- Patra / Aloo wadi
- Singada (water chestnut) halva without ghee
- Coconut laddoo
- Kuttu (buckwheat) pakodi
- Rajgirqa (amaranth) poori
- Aloo tikki
- Roasted makhana (fox nuts)
- Butter-free, black-salted popcorn
- Banana chips
- Potato papad
- Your favourite fruits
Many other recipes that contain milk, butter, or paneer can also be made vegan without breaking a sweat. Here’s our guide to veganizing your favourite dishes.
How to Replace Dairy
It can feel daunting to go dairy-free, but with a few hacks you will get there! Here’s some inspo on how we can replace dairy in different recipes:
- Nutmilk for milk – Simply replace dairy milk in shakes and smoothies with coconut milk or nut milk like almond, walnut, hazelnut or cashew milk. You can easily make your favourite nut milk right at home.
- Dairy-free alternatives in tea/coffee – There are many powdered and liquid plant-milk alternatives available for both cold and hot beverages. Oat milk is considered a great alternative that has both a neutral taste and a creamy texture that make it suitable for teas and coffees.
- Peanut and rice curd for curries – Many vegetable curry preparations use curd to add a sour taste and creamy texture to gravies. Peanut and rice curd is a great alternative that serves the same purpose, leaving out dairy. It works well in raitas and chaat too.
- Tofu in place of paneer – All paneer preparations can be easily made with tofu. Whether it is an appetizer like paneer tikka, a gravy-like palak paneer or a filling in a paratha, tofu is a great substitute with a better nutritional profile.
Rajgira Tofu Paratha Recipe
Speaking of parathas, here’s a special paratha recipe befitting the holy month of Shravan, made of Rajgira or Ramdana which literally translates to ‘grain of God’. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Rajgira aata (Amaranth flour)
- 2 medium Potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1 cup Tofu, grated
- 2 Green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1 teaspoon Jeera (Cumin powder)
- 5-6 Dhania leaves, finely chopped (Cilantro)
- 1/2 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns, ground
- Rock salt to taste
- A drizzle of oil for cooking
Method:
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with enough water and knead into a dough.
- Divide the dough into equal parts and make them into round balls. Take one of these balls and use a rolling pin to roll it flat to form a round paratha.
- Heat a flat tava (flat bottom pan), brush a little oil and put the rolled paratha on it. Cook it for two minutes until light brown, turn over and repeat for the other side.
- Serve Rajgira Tofu Paratha with Coriander lemon chutney and enjoy your vegan Shravan treat!
Looking for more inspiration and Indian vegan recipes? Sign up with us today!
