New cheese on the block

It was a deep desire to write a book on food that made Shalini Padmanabhan delve into vegan cuisine. Once she realised that a lot of people are looking for dairy substitutes, she began experimenting with vegan cheese and butter. And finally, chanced upon the recipe of one that’s been gaining popularity with people choosing plant-based diets – potato cheese.
“I was working on a nachos cheese sauce and went online for inspiration. That’s when I got to know about potato cheese and decided to give it a try,” says Shalini, who in 2020 launched The Veganator, which offers a variety of breads, cheese, crackers and cookies free of dairy, gluten and white sugar.
Made of boiled potato, olive oil, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast and a dash of lemon juice, her potato cheese is popular with children as well. “It’s easy to make and takes just about an hour. It can be had plain, on a cracker, in a sandwich and even on pizza,” says Shalini.
The vegan community is always on the lookout for dairy substitutes. So far, soy, almond and oat milk have been popular, but now, the humble potato has emerged as a hot favourite with people developing a taste for milk and cheese derived from it. Swedish company Veg of Lund launched potato milk under the brand DUG. According to the brand, it is more sustainable, as its production requires “half as much land as oat milk, and 56 times less land than almond milk.”
Commercially, potato milk is made by boiling potatoes, and then emulsifying them with rapeseed oil and other foods for calcium, pea proteins and chicory fibre. It is then fortified industrially with different vitamins and minerals. While potato milk is not sold in India, DIY recipes are available online. Potato cheese, on the other hand, is sold by a few brands and is popular with adults and kids alike.
“I was always a vegetarian but a few years ago, I developed intolerance to lactose and gluten. So, while looking for substitutes online, I came across a recipe for potato milk that needs only boiled potatoes, almonds, honey, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. You just blend and strain it,” says Puducherry-based Anandhapriya Shanmugham.
In Bengaluru, Millie Mitra, who makes vegan cheeses, has been making potato cheese for the last seven years but purely for her own consumption. “I discovered it in South Africa, and have been making it ever since. It’s a good option for those who are looking for non-nut vegan cheeses,” says Millie, who makes this variant by seasoning boiled or steamed potatoes with apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. “It really works well for a mac n cheese recipe; it has a sticky gooeyness and swirls around the pasta very well,” she says.
Nutritionist Shiny Surendran says potato cheese is a good choice for vegans and people who are lactose intolerant. “Potato cheese is loaded with carbs, so it will be good for physically active people, such as children who are into sports, or someone who is training for a marathon. It contains potassium and B complex,” she says.
Meenakshi Bajaj, dietician, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital, says homemade potato milk may lack flavour and, since it is not fortified with vitamins, may lack nutritional value too.
Nutritionally, potatoes are low in sodium, high in potassium and glycaemic index. “100g of boiled potato consists of 77 cal and 1.7g protein. Though low in saturated fat, it will raise triglycerides when consumed regularly and in large quantities. It is also inadequate in protein though moderate amounts of phytonutrients will satisfy the palate for those looking for vegan alternatives of protein,” she says, adding that though potatoes contain vitamin C, it’s lost during cooking. “It is useful for lactose intolerant people and those allergic to nuts, gluten, milk alternates and those with malabsorption.”