Celebrate Eid al-Fitr With These Vegan Recipes

Whether you’re Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, agnostic or atheist, a vegan diet is an infallible way to get healthy, reduce your carbon footprint and demonstrate compassion for animals. As Anila Muhammad, who is a practicing Muslim and a vegan, explained in a Huffington Post article, “For me a plant-based diet was one way I could bridge the spiritual mandate to protect animals and the environment”.

So, to mark the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr, in which food traditionally plays a major role, why not do a good deed for animals by adding these animal-friendly dishes to your menu?

Mock Lamb Shami Kebab

150 g chana dal (split Bengal gram)

3 medium onions, plus more for garnish

3 tsp cumin seed powder

3 tsp coriander seed powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp garam masala

500 g Sunshine (Everbest) mock lamb chunks

5 bay leaves

10 cardamom pods

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cloves

1 cup

chopped mint leaves, plus more for garnish

3 Tbsp corn flour

100 g cornflakes

Refined vegetable oil

Combine the chana dal, onions, cumin seed powder, coriander seed powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, garam masala, mock lamb chunks, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, water and salt in a pressure cooker and cook for 4 to 5 whistles (approximately 10 minutes), or until the water evaporates.

Allow the mixture to cool, then remove the bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Grind the remaining mixture into a thick paste. Add the mint leaves and corn flour and mix until well combined.
Using your palm, shape a spoonful of the paste into a flat, round kebab. Repeat with the remaining paste.
Grind the cornflakes into a fine powder and coat the kebabs.
Heat the oil in a pan on high heat and fry the kebabs until golden.
Serve hot and garnish with onion and mint leaves.

Makes 10 to 15 servings

Vegan Seviyan

100 ml refined vegetable oil

250 g vermicelli noodles

600 ml coconut milk

500 ml water

250 g sugar

1 Tbsp cardamom powder

50 g almonds, chopped

50 g cashews, chopped

50 g pistachios, chopped

50 g raisins

Heat the oil in a pan on high heat and fry the vermicelli until golden.
In another pan, stir the coconut milk, water and sugar together and cook on medium heat until a syrup is formed. Stir in the cardamom powder.
Pour the syrup into the pan of vermicelli and cook on medium heat until the noodles are soft. Add the almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins – leaving enough to garnish with – and mix well.
Serve hot in a large bowl and garnish.

Makes 10 to 15 servings

Enjoy! And remember: You don’t have to be celebrating Eid al-Fitr to enjoy an animal-friendly meal. Take the pledge to go vegan today!