The festival of Navratri, celebrated by the Hindu community in India, 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.
This year, Shardiya Navratri is being celebrated in India from October 7 to October 14 and today marks day 2 of the Hindu festival. 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. 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.
Health experts believe it is good to fast during this week to let the liver rest and rejuvenate but it is important to do it right. Since packed or processed food during Navratri are a big no, diet namkeens or chips are off the charts and also typical snack foods like fried items, food that has high-calorie content and even those with high sodium.
If you are fasting this Navratri, here are 9 vrat-friendly recipes that will instantly brighten up your fasting days. Chefs in Delhi, Lucknow and Indore specially curated these 9 droolworthy recipes for Navratri 2021 to satiate your hunger pangs with these tasty treats during the fasting days.
1. Roast pumpkin with samac rice, kaffir lime coconut broth and ghee roast makhan (Serves – 1, Cooking time – 1 hour)
Ingredients:
100 gms pumpkin dice
50ml Butter
50ml samac rice
100ml coconut milk
3 leaves Kaffirlime leaves
10gms Butter
1tsp turmeric powder
1 no lemon juice
2 gms ginger
6 pcs makhana
10 gms pumpkin seed
Garnish – coriander leaves
sendha namak
Method:
Cut your pumpkin the shape you want and marinate with butter, kaffir lime and sendha namak.
Cook in pre heat oven for about 15 minutes at 160 temperatures. Now boil your samak rice and strain keep them a side
For Sauce:
For sauce take a pan and heat with some butter and ginger and then add coconut milk, kaffir lime along with some water.
Cook sauce for about 10 minute at slow temperature and finish with sendha namak and lemon juice.
For plating:
Season your boil samak rice and place on the plate. Place pumpkin dice on top of samac rice and then pour sauce by side.
Add the rinsed sabudana pearls and water in the pan. Put toasted makhana on top of dice pumpkin and garnish with fresh coriander leaves
Put toasted makhana on top of dice pumpkin and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
2. Sago Kheer (Serves – 2, Cooking time – 50 minutes)
Ingredients:
½ cup sabudana or sago (tapioca pearls) – for a thicker kheer, you can add ⅔ sabudana
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
4 to 5 tablespoons sugar or raw sugar – add as required
½-teaspoon cardamom powder or 4 to 5 green cardamoms crushed in a mortar-pestle
2 tablespoon chopped cashews
½-tablespoon raisins
3 to 4 saffron strands for garnish – optional
Gold Leaf for garnish – optional
50 grams dates
Soaking Sago:
Rinse the sabudana pearls until the water runs clear of the starch.
Take a thick-bottomed pan or saucepan in which you will be making the kheer.
Add the rinsed sabudana pearls and water in the pan.
Cover and let the pearls get soaked in the water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Method:
Later keep this pan on the stovetop and begin to cook the sabudana pearls.
Meanwhile heat or warm the milk too. No need to boil the milk.
After 4 to 5 minutes, add the milk to the pan and continue to cook.
Add sugar and cardamom powder and simmer until the sabudana have cooked well for about 20 to 25 minutes on a low to medium flame.
Keep on stirring often so that the kheer or the cooked sabudana does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Switch off the heat and add cashews and raisins.
Garnish with saffron strands and gold leaf.
Serve sabudana kheer hot or warm or chilled.
3. Sweet potato and fruit chaat (Serves – 2, Cooking time – 20 minutes)
