Cashew COCONUT BASE

+GF +SF

Unsweetened, plain vegan yogurt isn’t always easy to locate where I live. Fear not if you have the same issue: this cashew-based coconut mixture is a great stand-in for it in dressings and sauces, such as Creamy Harissa Sauce. —CS

MAKES 1½ CUPS (360 G)

1 cup (120 g) raw cashew pieces, soaked in water overnight in the refrigerator

1 cup (235 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk

Juice of ½ medium lemon (about 2 tbsp [30 ml])

¾ tsp coarse kosher salt

Drain and gently rinse the cashews. Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend or process until perfectly smooth, stopping to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover tightly and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.