Delicious Vegan Mango Cookies

When my brother was little and thought he was in trouble, he would play Possum. He would roll around, drop to the floor and close his eyes. It worked the first few times, then mum got annoyed super fast.

''Get yourself right here, Saif. You're getting that ass whooping even if you're dead.'' Mum would say.

I laugh now, as I remember his face, right on the brink of crying. He was a glutton for food and ate anything and everything in his path. Cookies were the currency mama dished out when all other avenues failed to keep him in line. It was also our make-up food for socking each other in head and eating each others' stuff, from the fridge where we had hidden them.

He also loves his older sister very much. Though he would vehemently deny it, if you do ask.

Imagine the sub-continent, before the British came, when a myriad of cultures lived together. Where hindus had muslim neighbors, and muslims had farsis and all of them ate together, and used the same spices to cook their rice. Where when somebody died, the whole street grieved together and wouldn't let their neighbor go hungry, by cooking for them for months Religion in those times, I'd like to think, was secondary.

The subcontinent, where Shah Jahan built a mausoleum, in the memory of his beloved, dead wife. I have a hundred recipes to choose from, a myriad of spices, cloves and haldi to make anything I love, but this is about my brother and what he loved most.

Also, it is the food I eat for comfort, during this stressful time. It was a recipe, my friend recommended and loved. Saif loved it from the first time I made it, so it continues to be a favourite snack of mine.

Vegan, Coconut and Mango Cookies

Time: 35 mins (more if you procrastinate ;))

Serves: 7-8 people. (Or only one or two if you have a gigantic appetite)

Calories: 230 per serving.

These cookies are gluten free, Vegan and very healthy. What more could you ask for? Head over to your kitchen to make this deliciousness.

Ingredients:

Dried Mango 60 g

Brazil Nuts 60 g *

Ripe Peeled Banana 50 g

Jumbo Oats 100 g

Baking Powder 1 tsp

Coconut Flour 70 g

Salt 1 pinch

Almond Milk 80 mL

Sugar-free Applesauce 100g*

TIP: **(Instead of Brazilian nuts, you can also use cashew nuts.)

Also, if you would rather buy store-bought Applesauce that's great and dandy too. :)

Instructions:

I usually make homemade applesauce, instead of the store bought version. Leave the apple sauce to cool down nearby after making it. You can search up the apple sauce recipe anywhere online. Meanwhile, get ready to prepare the cookie dough ingredients.

First, chop the dried mango and brazil nuts into small pieces. Then mash a peeled banana into a paste with the help of a fork. The banana is to add a natural sweetness, without the excessive use of refined sugar.

Put half of the oats into a fine flour with the help of a food processor.

Now, combine the ground oats, oat flakes, coconut flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir well to ensure the baking powder is nicely distributed, so that your biscuits will rise evenly.

Then, add the applesauce, mango chunks, nuts, and mashed banana. Work the mixture together while pouring almond milk a bit at a time. The ingredients will come together into a compact cookie dough.

If the batter is too crumbly, you can add more milk. If it's too wet, pour more flour until you reach the right consistency.

Now, leave the dough to set in the fridge for 15 minutes as it will be easier to work and shape into cookies after being refrigerated.

Secondly, Pinch off a bit of coconut dough, roll it in the palm of your hands and then flatten it down with your fingertips to give it the normal cookie shape. Just repeat until you have used all the batter up.

Now, you can transfer the cookies to a baking tray lined nicely with parchment paper. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes at 200°C (390°F) for static ovens or at 180°C (355°F) for fan ovens.

You can use the fan option in your oven and cook them on multiple trays at the same time.

When they are lightly golden, remove the vegan cookies from the oven. Now, leave them to cool. This way they will crisp up nicely! Now you have some amazing Vegan cookies all to yourself or to share with a loved one.

I always pair these cookies with Apple tea. As a lover of all things tea, I usually sit in my balcony, with these cookies in my lap. Sometimes, I re-read Khaled Hosseini's 'A thousand Splendid suns'. It's my favourite book, and one that has kept me company for a long, long time.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DRINK: APPLE TEA

Instructions:

1 cup unsweetened apple juice or cider

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup water

4 allspice

1 teaspoon of honey (optional)

Directions:

In a small heating bowl, bring allspice and water just to boil, then add tea bags. Now, remove it from heat, and cover it and steep for a few minutes. Discard the allspice and tea bags and stir in apple juice and honey. Now just heat it a little and you have delicious apple tea.

Only 125 calories guys.

During this stressful time, let us come together through food. Let's cheer each other into a peaceful and blessed Quarantine.

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