Cashew cream

A few years ago, my sister decided to go 100% vegan. Since then, I’ve been more inspired to experiment with vegan recipes.

One ingredient I often found hard to substitute was cream. That is, until I discovered cashew cream.

Cashew cream is smooth and rich, like dairy cream. I’ve started to use it in dishes like dal makhani, pasta alla vodka, and various desserts. It goes particularly well in Indian or Indian-inspired food.

Now that I know how easy it is to make cashew cream, I like to keep a jar of it in my fridge so I have it handy. It lasts about a week.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted, unroasted cashews
• 1-2 cups water, plus extra for soaking

Instructions

1. Using a small bowl, soak cashews overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain water from bowl.
2. Using a high speed blender, blend soaked cashews with 1 cup water until completely smooth. Add a little more water if needed, up to 2 cups total. Your final product should have a texture resembling coconut cream. Store in the fridge in an airtight jar for 1 week.