Chaitra Navratri is a nine-day festival that is celebrated with great fervor and devotion in India. During this auspicious occasion, devotees fast and refrain from eating certain foods as a way of offering their devotion to Goddess Durga. Fasting during Navratri is believed to purify the body and soul and bring good health and prosperity. However, fasting can be challenging, especially for those who are used to eating regular meals. To make fasting easier and more enjoyable, it is important to plan and prepare healthy, nutritious meals that provide the body with necessary energy and nutrients.
Check out some delicious and easy to make Chaitra Navratri Fasting Recipes that are not only tasty but also healthy and satisfying. With these recipes, fasting during Navratri can be a delicious experience that nourishes the body and soul. (Also read: Chaitra Navratri 2023: 7 Vrat-friendly breakfast items to maintain energy levels )
TASTY RECIPES ON FASTING
- Farali Sama Vada
(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)
Ingredients:
1 cup of free-range millet flour (samo)
1 teaspoon butter
Rock salt (sandha namak) to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1½ tablespoons white sesame seeds
2-3 tablespoons ground unsalted roasted peanuts
2-3 chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 large potato, boiled, peeled and grated
oil for frying
yogurt to serve
Method:
1. Pour 1 cup of water into a deep saucepan, add ghee, rock salt and cumin seeds and mix. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the free range millet flour and mix until well combined. Drizzle in 2-3 tablespoons of water, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Let it cool down a bit.
2. Add the white sesame seeds, peanut powder, green chilies, coriander leaves, ginger, and potato and mix until well combined. Take small portions of the mixture and form each portion into a ball. Flatten it slightly to give it a vada shape.
3. Heat enough oil in a kadai. Gently slide in the vadas a few at a time and fry until golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
4. Arrange the vadas on a serving plate. Serve hot with yogurt.
2. Go ahead
(Recipe by Chef Tarla Dalal)
Ingredients:
½ cup sanwa millet (same)
½ cup rajgira flour
½ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon ginger green chili paste
Rock salt (sandha namak) to taste
cooking oil
At your service
Method:
1. Clean, wash and soak the sanwa millet in enough water in a deep bowl for at least 2 hours.
2. Drain and mix in a blender until smooth with 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Transfer the mixture to a deep bowl, add the rajgira flour, buttermilk, ginger green chili paste and rock salt and mix well. Cover with a lid and set aside to ferment overnight.
4. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle), scoop a ladle of batter onto the tava (griddle) and roll out in a circular motion to form a 125mm surface area. Thin (5″) diameter dosa.
5. Brush a little oil along the sides, cook until both sides of the dosa are golden brown, and fold to form a semicircle.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to make 7 more dosas.
3. Farali dhokla
(Recipe by Chef Tarla Dalal)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups buckwheat (chopped or chopped)
1/2 cup of sour curd (khatta dahi)
1 teaspoon green chili paste
1/4 teaspoon ginger paste (adrak)
salt to taste
Method:
1. Clean and wash the buckwheat in enough water once. Washing it more will cause the starch to drain out.
2. Drain excess water with a strainer.
3. Combine buckwheat, curd and ½ cup of water in a deep bowl and mix well. Cover with a lid and let it soak for at least 4 to 5 hours.
4. Add the green chile paste, ginger paste, and salt and mix very well.
5. Pour half the dough into a greased 175mm tin. (7″) diameter thali and spread evenly by turning the thali clockwise.
6. Steam in a steamer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the dhoklas are cooked.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to make 1 more thali.
8. Let cool slightly, cut into pieces and serve immediately.
SWEET FASTING RECIPES
1. Singhada Sheera
(Recipe by Chef Tarla Dalal)
Ingredients:
1 cup water chestnut flour (shingoda)
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
for the garnish
1 tablespoon flaked almonds
1 tablespoon pistachio slices
Method:
1. To make sheera singhada, heat the ghee in a wide non-stick skillet, add the water chestnut flour and simmer for 4 minutes or until light brown, while stirring continuously.
2. Add 2 cups of warm water, mix well, and simmer for another 4 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the sugar, mix well and simmer for another 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Turn off the heat, add the cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Serve the sheera singhada hot garnished with almonds and pistachios.
2.Sabudana kheer
(Recipe by Chef Tarla Dalal)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sago (sabudana)
4 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup of sugar
a pinch of saffron threads (kesar)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped cashews (kaju)
1 tablespoon chopped raisins (kismis)
Method:
1. To make sabudana kheer, combine the sabudana and ¾ cup of water in a deep bowl and set aside for 1 hour.
2. Heat milk in a deep nonstick skillet and boil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the soaked sabudana, mix well and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the sugar, saffron and cardamom powder, mix well and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and set aside.
5. Heat the ghee in a small nonstick skillet, add the cashews and raisins, and sauté over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Pour over the prepared sabudana kheer and mix well.
7. Serve sabudana kheer warm or cold.
3. Aloo the halwa
(Recipe by Chef Harpal Singh)
Ingredients:
2-3 boiled potatoes (medium size)
Ghee 2-3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
raisins 1 tablespoon
Cardamom powder 1 teaspoon
Mix nuts 1 tsp
Kesar ½ teaspoon + to decorate
Sugar 4 tablespoons
¼ cup milk
Khoya ½ cup
Method:
1. In the pan add the ghee and fry the raisins first, once it starts to fluff up remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the boiled potatoes and sauté for 10-12 minutes over medium heat.
3. Now take whole cardamom and crush it in the mortar and add it to the potatoes.
4. Sauté for a while and then add mixed nuts and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5. Now crush the kesar in the same mortar and keep it aside.
6. Now add sugar and milk in the halwa and mix well.
7. Cook until thick.
8. Now add khoya and fried raisins in the pan and mix well.
9. Now add the crushed kesar and ghee and stir-fry properly.
10. Potato halwa is ready, sprinkle some kesar on it and it’s ready to serve!
