It is that time of the year when the chef community perfects its Ninja moves on the ‘Vrat Thali’, much-endorsed during Navratri, for those on an austere diet of no-meat, no-alcohol and in true to spirit, no whole grains (rice, wheat), no spices (garam masala, and no onion-garlic, either, with an added caveat of mostly root and tuber vegetables like potatoes, yam, sweet potato, colocassia, and a few other vegetables like raw banana and pumpkin (which is botanically considered a fruit).
One would think that with this limited repertoire of cooking materials, it would be a challenge for restaurants to come up with ‘Vrat’ thalis, which challenge this restricted choice of staples, seasonings and vegetables too.
Of course, there are the classicists like executive chef Prem Kumar Pogakula of Westin Hyderabad Mindspace for example, who opine that those who fast during Navratri don’t have too many checkboxes or parameters of taste and frills like styling, so long as it falls within the gamut of no-cereal, no-or-limited spices (except rock salt, cumin and turmeric) and aimed towards nutrition and detox of the digestive system. He strongly believes in the premise of nourishing one’s body with nutrient-dense foods like Kootu ke aata, Sama or Samak Chaawal or barnyard millet and fruits as well as good carbs, like sweet potato and raw banana.
Navratra Bhojan, Pic- Westin Mindspace Hyderabad
The usual suspects when it comes to Vrat foods, are Sabudana Tikkis/Khichdi, Kootu Pooris, Kaddu ki Sabzi, Jeera Aloo and Makhaane ki Kheer, though maverick restaurants like Farzi Café who pride themselves on being able to offer anything but the mundane, tweak these limited ingredients and materials with some pleasurable consequences for the palate.
Kootu ke Aate is traditionally used for Navratri fasts for making puris, but in a bid to innovate, chef Prem is putting on the menu, Kuttu Ke Aate ki Palak Pakode, a “buckwheat flour and spinach crisp with black salt and dusted spice” as he would like to describe it as.
One of the first and foremost cooking materials, which one needs to stock in one’s kitchen during Navratri is Kootu (buckwheat) Atta. Kootu atta or flour made of buckwheat, is considered a powerhouse of nutrition, high in fibre, good quality protien, magnesium, vitamin B6, iron, niacin, and zinc. With a distinct nutty and grainy texture, the sight of puffed-up, hot kootu puris on a thali, with aloo or kaddu ki sabzi is enough to make one’s mouth water.
Likewise, with Singaada or Water chestnut atta, which comes loaded with good carbohydrates. In fact, this flour made of water chestnut, can qualify as the original desi plant-based cereal much before the whole vegan, plant-based diet got trending, some would say. Samak Chaawal or barnyard millet is another Navratri staple, so are Sabudana and foxnuts or makhana.
While Aloo sabzi is an evergreen favourite on most Navratri thalis, it is the Sitaphal ki Subzi, the well-cooked slightly mushy red pumpkin curry, part-tangy (thanks to amchur or lemon juice) and part sweet (sugar or jaggery) most often with a seasoning of methi seeds, which has the Navratri sheen, personally speaking.
Table salt is switched to rock salt or Sendha Namak as it is called and the use of spices is sparse, such as cumin, turmeric and a smattering of dhania. Green chillies and red chilli powder are not recommended in Navratri cooking, though ginger, black pepper, coriander/mint leaves, amchur, lemon seasonings are much used.
In Ahmedabad, Navratri fasting, also known as Faraali fasting is on a different level, and with due apologies to the residents of Ahmedabad, almost borders on fasting. In fact, I remember seeing a couple of Farali restaurants dedicated to Faraali food, read no onion, garlic and specializing in deep-fried potato snacks a
Farali Pattice is what comes to mind first, when I remember the Navratri vrat thalis in Ahmedabad, crisply fried potato tikkis, but quite different from it North Indian version. The potato croquettes are filled with a coconut-dhania patta-sugar and raisin mix, which is quite delightful when you bite into it.
The Cholafalli, also known as Chorafali, was another distinct snack whose memories remain with me, for its distinctiveness and because I had never had it before. Fluffy, crisp and deep-fried, chorafali is made of besan, urad dal flour, baking soda and salt, and is usually served during Dussehra and Diwali. There are even choafalli khakras available for the Upvaas diet.
And keeping with the Gujarati yen for farsaan or snacks, there would always be faraali samosa, chivdo , patra, batata wafers, sev and dhokla. In fact, there would be varieties of potato and raw banana wafers in an assortment of seasonings and spices, talk of the enterprising Gujarati spirit!
Speaking of enterprising innovations, Farzi Café is also doing its own spin on the Navratri Thali to make it a bit less mundane. For example, keeping away from the ubiquitous aloo tikkis, executive chef Farzi Café Hyderabad Sandeep Sai , a Dilliwalla now working in Hyderabad, has designed sago and spinach tikkis, which come with an exotic filling of saffron-infused pistachios! And their Aloo Kuttu ke Pakode comes with Jammu Tzatziki, which is the same tzatziki with an added twist of crushed walnuts from Jammu instead of garlic!
Even classicists like Chef Prem have not been able to keep away from a bit of innovation on the side. For example, his Makhaane ki Kheer this time comes with dumplings of sago or sabudana and buckwheat, to add more body and nutrition.
So, have it the traditional, pure way or in a contemporary manner (with minimal tweaking), go ahead and enjoy the pure, divine offerings and blessings of the goddess Durga this festive season, Bon Appetit!
