Easy Vegan Banoffee by @greenkai_ 💖

If there is one dessert that I will never get tired of, is banoffee. The combination of a biscuit base, delicious smooth caramel sauce, freshness of the bananas and whipped cream, always leaves me speechless. Here is my quick and simple recipe for a Vegan Banoffee that will blow your mind. You must try it!

Base:
200g @lotusbiscoff biscuits
½ cup vegan butter (melted)
1 tsp cacao powder (optional)
Big pinch of salt

Caramel:
1 ½ cups pitted dates (soaked in 1 ½ cups of boiling water and drained)
3/4 cup plant-based milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
Big pinch of salt
or you could try one of the @naturescharm caramel sauces 🤗

2 bananas (sliced)

1 can of @naturescharm coconut whipping cream
Juice squeezed from ½ lemon

Topping:
Plant-based milky chocolate

Instructions:
1. Melt the butter and soak the dates. Place biscuits in a food processor and blend until you reach a sand-like texture. Move it to a bowl, add cacao powder, melted butter, and a big pinch of salt. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Place the mixture in a tart pan, spread evenly and press with your hand.
3. Drain the dates and place them in a food processor. Add plant-based milk, vanilla essence and salt. Blend until smooth.
4. Spread the date caramel over the base.
5. Slice the bananas and place them on top of the caramel layer. Sprinkle the bananas with a little bit of lemon juice to slow down the oxidation process and keep them fresh. Place in the fridge for the time being.
6. Whip the cream, add lemon juice and stir carefully.
7. Spread whipped cream over the bananas and grate the chocolate on top. Place in the fridge for 3+ hours to let it set.
8. Serve and enjoy!

For the dal (lentils):
1 cup of masar (red lentils) washed
5 cups of water
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric

For the tadka (tempering):

*note – you can also use half a portion of my Punjabi tadka recipe if you have some in the fridge already

1 tbsp ghee
1 small onion chopped
1 chopped tomato
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 piece inch piece of ginger chopped
1 chopped green chilli (optional)
1/2 tbs cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbs coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chili (optional to taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala for finishing
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for finishing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash your lentils 2-3 times until the water runs clear.

2. In a large stock pot add all of the dal ingredients – washed masar (red lentils), water, ginger garlic paste, salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil.

3. Once the dal comes to a boil, drop the the heat to low/medium – the water should not be boiling, just lightly simmering. Check the consistency after 15 minutes. If it looks too thick, add a 1/2 cup of water. Cook for another 5 minutes. (Total cooking time 20 minutes)

4. While the dal is boiling, you can start working on the tadka (tempering). Heat the ghee on medium high heat, and add the cumin seeds. Roast for 60 seconds and then add the onion.

5. Let the onion sweat out and caramelize for 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic, ginger, and green chilli. Cook this mixture for an additional minute.

6. Add tomatoes, salt, red chili, and coriander powder. Cook this mixture until the tomatoes lose their moisture and begin to pull away from the pan, 2-3 minutes.

7. Add a ladle of your warm dal into the tadka mixture and deglaze the pan. Use your stirring spoon to collect any little bits from bottom of the pan, and then add the tadka mixture into the dal.

8. Add garam masala and chopped cilantro to the dal to finish, mix together and cook for 1-2 minutes.

9. Serve with hot phulkas or rice.