Gudi Padwa is a festive, joyful holiday that marks the beginning of a new year. It's the perfect time to try new things—like delicious vegan versions of traditional Gudi Padwa treats. We guarantee that everyone will love these ghee- and guilt-free recipes!

Yummy Yoghurt-Free Mango Shrikhand

1 cup raw unsalted cashews

2 Tbsp water

2 cups mango pulp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped

• Grind the cashews into a smooth paste. Slowly add the water and continue grinding until a thick, creamy consistency is obtained (add more water if needed).
• Keep covered in a warm place to ferment until the paste has a pleasant sour smell and small bubbles are visible, about 10 to 15 hours.
• Mix the paste, then drain the excess water with a muslin cloth.
• Strain the mango pulp with a muslin cloth to remove most of the liquid.
• Add the mango pulp and the sugar to the cashew paste and mix well.
• Add the cardamom powder and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
• Serve chilled and topped with dried fruit.  

Makes 2 servings

Tasty Ghee-Free Tilgul Poli  

Adapted from http://momrecipies.blogspot.in/2011/01/tilgul-poli-sankranti-special-gul-poli.html

1/2 cup white flour (maida)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (atta)

4 Tbsp chickpea flour (besan)

Salt, to taste

2 Tbsp oil, plus more for cooking

Water, for the dough

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 Tbsp grated coconut

1/2 cup grated jaggery

Pinch nutmeg powder (optional)

• Mix the white flour, whole-wheat flour and 2 tablespoonfuls of the chickpea flour together. Add salt to taste.
• Heat 2 tablespoonfuls of the oil until sizzling hot. Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the oil. Mix well.
• Slowly add water and stir until a medium-soft dough is formed. Knead well for 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1 hour.
• Heat more oil in a pan. Roast the remaining chickpea flour, stirring continuously and adding olive oil as required, until the flour changes colour, about 6 to7 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Individually roast the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and coconut, then separately grind each into a powder.
• Combine the sesame seed powder, poppy seed powder, coconut powder, roasted chickpea flour and jaggery in a mixer and blend. Add the nutmeg powder and mix well. Roll into 7 to 8 balls. 
• Divide the dough into equal portions. Sprinkle some all-purpose flour on a rolling board. Roll each portion of dough into a puri-sized round. Place a ball of filling in the centre of each round of dough. Fold the dough over the top of the ball and seal the edges. Using more flour, roll the filled dough into the shape of a roti (7 to 8 inches in diameter).
• Heat the griddle (tawa) and add oil. Roast both sides of each poli on medium heat until golden. 
• Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

See how simple it is to cut dairy products out of your favourite recipes? Not only is ditching dairy easy, it's also one of the best things that you can do for yourself and cows. After all, dairy consumption contributes to the onset of diabetes, obesity and respiratory problems, and the cruel dairy industry causes the suffering and death of millions of cows and buffaloes each year. So cows about taking the pledge to go vegan today?!

While almost all of us have fallen victim to a good-natured April Fools' prank at one time or another, this year PETA has an idea for a "trick" that's really a "treat": fool your family (or yourself) with delicious mock meat.

Unlike conventional meat, vegan meat is high in healthy plant protein and fibre, low in saturated fat and free of cholesterol. Simply substitute versatile vegan meat in any recipe that calls for animal flesh. With its fooled-you flavour, you'll never know the difference!

Here are two recipes to try:

Tease Your Taste Buds Thai Red 'Chicken'

2 tsp olive oil

500 g mock chicken pieces

2 Tbsp red Thai curry paste

1 cup zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 can light coconut milk

Cilantro, chopped

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the mock chicken pieces and sauté for 10 minutes.
• Add the curry paste, zucchini, bell pepper, carrot and onion. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes more.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the coconut milk. Add this mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

This recipe was adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/thai-red-chicken-curry/. 

Better-Than-Chicken Kolhapuri

2 Tbsp chilli powder

2 Tbsp turmeric powder

2 Tbsp ginger paste

2 Tbsp garlic paste

10 small pieces mock chicken

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

3 Tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp white poppy seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

5 cloves

5 green cardamom pods

5 black peppercorns

5 cinnamon sticks

1 cup onions, chopped and fried

Oil, for sautéing

1 pinch asafoetida

6 whole red chillies, fried

1 tomato, diced

1 1/2 cups water

Juice 3 lemons

Coriander leaves, for garnish

• Combine the chilli powder, turmeric powder and ginger and garlic pastes. Marinate the mock chicken in this mixture for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roast the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, white poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, cloves, cardamom pods, black pepper and cinnamon.
• Place the fried onions and the roasted spices in a blender or food processor. Blend with a little water to make a smooth paste.
• Heat a little cooking oil in a sauté pan. Add the asafoetida, whole red chillies and tomato and sauté lightly. Add the onion mixture and continue cooking.
• Add the marinated mock chicken and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add 11/2 cups of water and cook over low heat until the mock chicken is heated through. Add the lemon juice and stir well.
• Spoon onto a serving platter, garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

This recipe was adapted from http://cooks.ndtv.com/recipe/show/chicken-kolhapuri-176180.

Everyone at PETA Youth knows that there is nothing hotter than a true geek – especially one who cares about animals. That's why, for the first time, we're going to be a social partner for Transilience, the annual business and technology conference at the Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Technology & Management in Bhilai, held this year from 22 to 23 June.

So whether you're a biz whiz who is interested in starting a company making household products that are never tested on animals, a titan-in-training who has a great idea for helping animals through technology or just someone who wants a few new vegan recipes, be sure to stop by the PETA Youth table and say "Hello".