This Thursday marks the first day of the nine-day Hindu festival of Shardiya Navratri. The first Navratri day is dedicated to Shailputri who devotees believe to be a form of Parvati and a reincarnation of Sati.
This year, the festival will end on October 15, 2021 and during this time, Hindu devotees will worship Maa Durga and commemorate the victory of good over evil. All through these nine days, devotees worship nine avatars of Durga, namely Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.
Also, a fast is kept either on all the nine days or in joda, the first two or the last two days of the Navratri, to please and seek blessings of Durga. If you are craving a dessert as you fast this Navratri, here's and easy and mouthwatering vrat-friendly recipe of kesari potato halwa with silken pistachio rabdi that you can whip up in just an hour.
Ingredients for Kesari Potato Halwa:
Potatoes 200gms
Coconut Milk 100ml
Sugar 150gms
Cardamom Powder 2-3gms
Almond 10gms
Cashew 10gms
Pistachio 10gms
Resins 10gms
Saffron 8-10 threads
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Rice bran oil 50 ml
Ingredients for Silken Pistachio Rabri:
Milk 250ml
Sugar 30gms
Cardamom Powder 2gms
Pistachio 30gms
Condensed milk 15gms
Method for Silken Pistachio Rabdi:
Boil milk on slow flame till half. Keep on stirring it. Add condensed milk, sugar and cardamom. Reduce it to thick paste consistency.
It will take about 20 minutes for this stage. Add boiled pistachio paste. Cook for 5 minutes more and let it cool.
Method for Kesari Potato Halwa:
Soak saffron strands in coconut milk. Take the potatoes and wash it well and prick it through using a fork. Boil over the stove top till the potatoes get boiled and keep checking it.
Once done remove from heat, strain and cooldown potatoes properly. This will help in peeling the skin as the potatoes will be too hot to handle. The key is the potato should not contain any excess water.
Place the cooked and peeled potatoes in a large bowl and mash it well using a potato masher. At the end you might have to use fingers to knead it like dough and break the small lumps if any.
In a medium size frying pan, heat about half the oil and sauté the mashed potato in the pan for 10 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently on medium heat otherwise the potatoes will stick to the pan.
Add the saffron soaked coconut milk and keep stirring. Now add the sugar. The sugar will start to melt and you will get a tomato soup like consistency mixture.
Stir in the cardamom powder and keep adding the remaining oil slowly and keep mixing the halwa until the ghee separates and the halwa thickens. This might take another 10 minutes.
Transfer it to a greased mould and de-mould it onto a plate. Heat oil and lightly fry the cashew nuts, almond slivers and pistachios till light brown. Serve hot the Kesari potato halwa with silken pistachio rabdi and garnish with slivers of almond, cashew, pistachios and raisins.
Benefits:
Potatoes are the most commonly consumed vegetable in India and are full of antioxidants that aid in preventing diseases. Packed with vitamins and minerals that help the body to function properly, they are a good source of fiber which keep one full for long, help to lose weight, provide energy-delivering complex carbohydrates.
The vegetable has also been linked by studies in improving blood sugar control, reducing heart disease risk and helping in higher immunity. Potatoes help regulate blood pressure as they are a great source of potassium.
Consumption of dry fruits enhances energy and stamina. As they are rich in fibre, it provides better digestion.
Almonds are packed with healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E and not only reduce hunger while promoting weight loss but also lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels along with reducing blood pressure. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating almonds in place of typical snacks may reduce the drop in heart rate variability (HRV) that occurs during mental stress, thereby improving cardiac function.
