‘Nava’ means nine and ‘ratri’ means nights hence, the festival of Navratri is a Hindu festival that spans nine nights and ten days where devotees worship nine avatars of Durga. It symbolises the victory of Durga over demon Mahishasura, signifying the victory of good over evil.
In the northern and western parts of India, Ram Leela (retelling of the Ramayan mythology) is held and the festivities end with Dusshera where effigies of Ravana are set on fire to signify Ram’s victory over Ravana. A fast is also kept by the devotees, 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.
As you skip food made with onion, garlic, ginger, lemon and tomato during these days of Navratri, here are some easy recipes from mouthwatering sabudana or tapioca and pumpkin puddings to watermelon berries and pineapple mango smoothies along with lip smacking mix fruit mini tarts, to tame your dessert cravings.
1. Mix Fruit Mini Tarts (serves 10-12)
Ingredients:
Butter
Fresh cream
All-purpose flour
Diced fruits
Fresh mint leaves
Method:
Sift flour and grate chilled butter in it and mix both with your hands to get a nice crumble texture. Gradually add chilled water and knead to make a soft dough, cling wrap it and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Mix fresh cream and diced fruits and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile take the fruit cream and dough out from the fridge. Pinch a small ball from the dough and roll out to a small disk.
Grease and dust the tart shell and place the rolled disk in it, take another tart shell and place over the disk and gently press so that the dough takes proper shape of the shell.
Remove the above shell, scrap out the extras from the sides. Bake for 15 mins or till they are golden and crisp.
Allow them to cool completely, remove baked shells from the moulds and add a spoonful of fruit cream in it and serve.
Enjoy your meal!
2. Jaggery Tapioca Pudding with Candied Pumpkin Seed Praline (makes 3 small bowls)
