Plant-based influencer Radhi Devlukia-Shetty releases debut book packed with vegan recipes

“My mum grew up in Uganda, so many of the dishes she made for us were subtly influenced by the food she had experienced there, including this traditional East African recipe,” says Radhi Devlukia-Shetty.

“The combination of pigeon peas, coconut milk, spices and fresh coriander makes for a gorgeously creamy, gingery dish that feels as warming as its sunshine-yellow colour. Just serve it over some basmati rice and feel the love.

Total time: 25 minutes. Serves 4. Ingredients: 1tbsp sunflower or avocado oil; 2 small green chillies, such as Thai, finely chopped; 1tbsp finely grated fresh ginger; 1⁄2 small head of cabbage, grated or very thinly sliced;

1tsp ground turmeric; 225g cooked or tinned pigeon peas (rinsed and drained if tinned); 1 400g tin full-fat coconut milk; 1⁄2tsp sea salt; 1⁄4tsp asafoetida; 1⁄2tsp cornflour; 15g chopped fresh coriander leaves, plus more for serving; 1 lemon, halved

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chillies and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and turmeric and cook, stirring, for two minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the peas, coconut milk, salt and asafoetida. Leave the mixture to simmer gently for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour and two tablespoons water. Stir the cornflour mixture into the curry, along with the chopped coriander. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice over the top.

Serve sprinkled with more coriander.

Chilled soba noodle salad with creamy sambal dressing

“Every salad rotation needs a solid cold-noodle dish,” says Radhi Devlukia-Shetty. “A big bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles tossed with raw veggies, toasted nuts and coriander, then draped in a creamy, spicy Southeast Asian–inspired dressing is so fresh and satisfying.

“It’s the perfect salad for making in the evening and packing up for lunch the next day.”

Total time: 35 minutes. Serves 2. Ingredients: 100g soba noodles; 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced; 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned; 1/2 small head red cabbage, finely shredded; 60ml creamy sambal dressing (recipe follows); 2tbsps crushed peanuts or almonds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant; 2tbsps finely chopped fresh coriander leaves; 1tsp black sesame seeds. For the creamy sambal dressing: (Makes about 240ml); Total time: 10 minutes; 110g unsweetened almond butter; 60ml soy sauce; 60ml fresh lime juice (2–3 limes); 1tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1tbsp agave nectar; 1tbsp sambal oelek

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the red pepper, carrot and cabbage.

To make the dressing; in a blender, combine the almond butter, 60ml water, the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, agave and sambal and blend until smooth. Store (any unused dressing) in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again to coat. Serve sprinkled with the peanuts, coriander and sesame seeds.

Note: You could sauté the vegetables and make this a warm noodle dish instead.

Baklava cheesecake

According to Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, this recipe makes for an extremely memorable treat.

“And it’s so easy: just a flaky filo base topped with a crushed buttery cookie layer, followed by a baklava topping, then finished off with a cheesecake filling.”

Total time: 1½ hours, plus soaking and setting time. Serves 8. Ingredients: For the filo and cookie crust: Softened vegan butter for the pan; 200g digestive biscuits or another crunchy cookie; 2tbsps unsalted vegan butter, melted; 10 sheets of filo (see note). For the nut crumble: 280g walnuts; 60g pistachios; Grated zest of 1 orange; 1tsp ground cinnamon; 140g agave nectar or vegan honey. For the cheesecake filling: 120g cashews, soaked for 30 minutes and drained; 180ml coconut cream (see note); 180g plain vegan cream cheese; 60ml maple syrup or agave nectar; 60ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons); 1tbsp cornflour

Make the filo and cookie crust: Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4. Lightly butter the base and sides of a 20 centimetre springform tin.

In a food processor, combine the cookies and melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.

Working quickly so the filo doesn’t dry out, layer the filo sheets all along the sides and base of the tin, covering the whole tin. Press the cookie crumb mixture on top of the filo. Set aside while you make the nut crumble.

Make the nut crumble: In a food processor, combine the walnuts, pistachio, orange zest and cinnamon and pulse until roughly ground. Add the agave and pulse again to combine. Dollop about half of the nut mixture over the crust and set the remainder aside until serving time.

Make the cheesecake filling. In a high-powered blender, combine the cashews, coconut cream, cream cheese, maple syrup, lemon juice and cornflour and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the flavours as you like, adding more lemon juice for tang or maple syrup for sweetness.

Pour the filling over the nut mixture. Give the pan a good tap on the worktop to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the edges of the cheesecake start browning and come away from the sides, for 45-60 minutes. The centre should still be a little jiggly but not wet.

Leave the cheesecake to cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Cover and transfer the cake to the fridge for at least five hours, but ideally overnight.

Dollop the top of the cheesecake with the reserved nut crumble. Slice and serve with a drizzle of (vegan or cashew) cream.

Note: You could also make this cheesecake without the filo layer. You would just start by pressing the cookie layer into the tin without buttering it first. You can either buy a tin of coconut cream or you can refrigerate coconut milk for 30 minutes and skim off the thick cream at the top. Thai coconut milk is perfect for this as it tends to be creamier.

​JoyFull: Cook Effortlessly, Eat Freely, Live Radiantly by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty is published in hardback by Thorsons, priced £22. Available now.