Three nutrient-rich Ayurvedic recipes to give you a boost of energy

“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.”

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Serves: 2

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

100g soba noodles

1 large red pepper, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned

½ small head red cabbage, finely shredded

60ml creamy sambal dressing (recipe follows)

2 tbsp crushed peanuts or almonds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp 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)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp sambal oelek

Method:

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

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

3. 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.

4. 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.

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“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 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.

Serves: 4

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sunflower or avocado oil

2 small green chillies, such as Thai, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

½ small head of cabbage, grated or very thinly sliced

1 tsp ground turmeric

225g cooked or tinned pigeon peas (rinsed and drained if tinned)

1 400g tin full-fat coconut milk

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp asafoetida

½ tsp cornflour

15g chopped fresh coriander leaves, plus more for serving

1 lemon, halved

Method:

1. 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.

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

3. 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.

4. Serve sprinkled with more coriander.

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According to 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.”

Serves: 8

Total time: 1½ hours, plus soaking and setting time

Ingredients:

For the filo and cookie crust:

Softened vegan butter for the pan

200g digestive biscuits or another crunchy cookie

2 tbsp unsalted vegan butter, melted

10 sheets of filo (see note)

For the nut crumble:

280g walnuts

60g pistachios

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 tsp 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)

1 tbsp cornflour

Method:

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

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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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 (Thorsons, £22).