Last week, we decided to order a vegan cheesy chipotle dip (Rs 290) and a slab of Parmesan cheese (Rs 450) from a recently launched vegan products brand called  Grabenord.com. It made us smile at the thought that at one point over a decade ago, vegan products were scarce. Today, the niche market is overflowing, with even non-vegan customers tempted to get a taste.

For us, the chipotle spread worked well as a companion to our toast, an elevating ingredient in our corn salad and a hit dip at our Diwali party. However, this spread is not preservative-free and is made using soya oil, garlic, cashew nuts, chilli, turmeric, potato starch and mustard.