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Sawan, the holy month dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a time when many people observe fasts and turn to consuming sattvik foods for the entire month. During these fasting days, certain ingredients like grains, regular salt, and spices are avoided, while others like potatoes, rock salt (sendha namak), and certain flours take the centre stage.
Among them, aloo stands out as the most loved and versatile choice. It goes in multiple dishes but also stands alone as a recipe in itself. Whether boiled, mashed, fried, or grated, potatoes adapt effortlessly and create a variety of fasting-friendly dishes. Here are five unique and flavorful recipes to make the most of aloo this Sawan.
Aloo Sheera
Aloo is not only a savoury item, but is also there to satisfy your sweet cravings, and there is no better option than aloo sheera that will be vrat-friendly and also make you full. To make this, sauté mashed boiled potatoes in ghee, add sugar or jaggery to it and mix it well. Leave it for 2-3 minutes, and once the steam comes out of it, add cardamom powder to it for flavour. Garnish this sheera with almonds and cashews. This will melt quickly in your mouth and satisfy your sweet cravings without taking much of your time!
Aloo Chips
Aloo chips are a favourite throughout the year! To make these crispy, golden chips, slice potatoes thinly and soak them in water and let them sit for some time. Once the water turns opaque, the starch is removed from potatoes. Deep fry these chips in oil until they curl up, and add some sendha namak over them and enjoy them hot. You can also fry and store them in airtight containers for later use.
Aloo Papad
Aloo papads bring back the nostalgia of summer afternoons spent sun-drying papads. To make this vrat-friendly version, boil and mash potatoes, and mix them with sendha namak and cumin powder. Knead a dough out of it, roll out papads, and sun dry them for a few days. Once they are dried enough, you can store them in barnis (jars) and use them for vrats throughout the year. These papads can be roasted or fried, and make for a crunchy and light vrat snack.
Aloo Bhaji For Upwas
This is a quick, wholesome stir-fry bhaji perfect for lunch or dinner. To make this, temper cubes of boiled potato with cumin seeds, green chilli, curry leaves, and sendha namak, and toss them all in ghee. This simple bhaji has an earthy, satisfying flavour. It pairs beautifully with rajgira (amaranth) rotis and makes for a complete fasting meal.
Farali Chivda
This chivda is also a favourite snack that can be enjoyed throughout the year. To make this, grate raw potatoes, and deep fry them into thin, crisp, golden strands. Toss them with fried peanuts, cashews, and some raisins, and season them with sendha namak and a touch of sugar. This chivda is light yet addictive, and makes for the perfect teatime snack during Sawan fasts.
