Vegan Mozzarella

I love this cashew based mozzarella recipe. It's gooey, flavourful, and a perfect cheezy topping on a vegan pizza. I first tried the vegan mozzarella recipe by Gaz Oakley. (Avant Garde Vegan) So this mozza has evolved from that recipe. I think the bit of liquid smoke I've added is great, it gives the cheese a little something extra. You could add more if you want it a bit smokier. It might seem like a lot of ingredients in this recipe at first glance, but once you have them all on hand, it comes together so quickly. Once the cashews are soaked, I can have it in my pan to thicken in under 5 minutes. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 3 Tbsp tapioca starch
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp coconut yogurt (I use silk brand)
• 1/8th tsp liquid smoke (or more to taste, I like mine a bit smoky)
• a few pinches of salt to taste 

Method:
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1. Soak cashews in water overnight or for several hours. (honestly I've soaked them for way less time in hot water in a pinch, but the longer soaking gives final product a smoother, better texture)
2. Strain the cashews, no need to keep the liquid. 
3. Blitz all ingredients in a blender. Make sure it's well blended and smooth. 
4. Pour mixture into a pan over medium heat. 
5. Using a heat proof spatula, keep stirring/pushing liquid toward the center of the pan. Don't walk away from the pan at this point, stir constantly until finished. 
6. You'll notice the mixture start to thicken. Once it seems a bit stretchy and cheese like, it's ready. Use straight away or cool and refrigerate.