Navratri 2022 Day 1 bhog for Goddess Shailputri: Recipe for delicious sabudana khichdi

Navratri 2022 Day 1: The festive season has made its way for this year. People have started preparing to bask in the festivities, in new clothes, colours and lights. Navratri, the largest festival of India, sees people celebrating all across the country. Navratri, translating to nine nights, is the time when the nine avatars of goddess Shakti or goddess Durga are worshipped. The nine avatars are Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmcharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandmata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri. Each day of the festival is dedicated to one of the avatars of goddess Durga. Navratri for this ear started on September 25. Durga Puja in West Bengal also started with Mahalaya.

On the first day of Navratri, Maa Shailputri is worshipped. Known as the reincarnation of Sati. Maa Shailputri is referred to as the purest form of goddess Durga. Shail means mountains, while Putri means daughter. Maa Shailputri is hence called the daughter of the mountains. For bhog after the puja, sabudana khichdi is prepared on the first day of Navratri. We have prepared an easy recipe of preparing this dish at home:

Ingredients:

For Soaking:

Sabudana (sago) – 1 cup

Water – 1 cup

Salt – a generous pinch

For Khichdi:

Peanuts (skinless) – ½ cup

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Green chilli Chopped – 1no

Ginger chopped – 2tsp

Tomato chopped – ½ cup

Potatoes boiled, diced – 1cup

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Salt – to taste

Black Pepper powder – to taste

Lemon – ½ no

Coriander chopped – Handful

Method:

Wash the sabudana thoroughly and soak it in a cup of water for at least 4-5 hours. Separately dry roast the peanuts and coarsely crush them. In a wok, heat ghee and add jeera, green chillies, ginger, tomatoes, and diced potatoes and cook for some time. Now add the curry leaves and the crushed peanuts and cook till the potatoes turn light brown. Add the soaked sabudana, pepper and lemon juice and cook till the sabudana turns transparent. Transfer to a plate and serve with fresh coriander leaves on top.

(Recipe: Kunal Kapur, Chef)