Special Recipes for Navratri Fast

This Navratri, try these mouth-watering and delicious farali recipes to satisfy your taste buds for your Navratri vrat or upavas.

The auspicious festival of Navratri is celebrated nationwide by worshipping Maa Jagdamba, a form of Goddess Durga. Navratri marks the beginning of spring or autumn, which means change of season. During the change of seasons, our immune system becomes weak so we are advised to consume light and nutritious meals. This is the reason why people should practice fast on all the nine days of the festival. People who practice fast avoid eating foods like meat, grains, alcohol, onion, common salt, garlic, etc. which are harder to digest. Fasting in navratri is an effective way to cleanse and purify the body and mind. Enjoy each and every bite of fasting food without compromising with your health and taste with these special recipes for Navratri vrat or upavas. These recipes are irresistible and more mouth-watering compared to regular food.

Special Recipes for Navratri Fast

Idli and Sambar
For Idli:

• 1 cup Sama (Moraiya)
• ½ cup Sabudana
• 1 cup Fresh Curd
• 4 tsp. Ginger-Green Chilli Paste
• 1 tsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 cup Boiled Potato Cubes
• 2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• ½ cup Roasted Peanut Powder (optional)
• Rock salt to taste

For Sambhar

• 5 tsp. Coriander seeds
• 4 Round Red Chillies
• 2 Tbsp. Roasted Peanuts
• 1 Tbsp. Grated Dry Coconut
• 25 mm Cinnamon Stick
• 1½ Cups Bottle Gourd Cubes
• 1½ cups Peeled and Chopped Yam
• 1 cup Peeled and Chopped Potatoes
• 2 tsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• Rock Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Idli:

Clean and wash sama in seeds. After that, add the remaining ginger-chilli paste, potatoes, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Once the mixture cool down, divide it into 16 equal portions. Now, put 1 tbsp. of the idli batter into greased idli moulds and spread the stuffing over it. Sprinkle peanut powder and top it up with idli batter. Steam them in an idli steamer until done.

Sambhar:

Make a fine powder of coriander seeds, 2 red-chillies, peanuts, dry coconut & cinnamon and keep aside. Boil a vessel full of water and add bottle gourd, yam and potatoes. Cook them till the vegetables are cooked. Drain and make a smooth purée. Transfer the mixture to a deep non-stick pan and add 4 cups of water. Then add ground powder & rock salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

For tempering, heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. After that, add 2 red chillies and sauté for a few seconds. Pour the tempering over sambhar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Lastly, add the lemon juice and mix well.


Malai Kofte

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coarsely ground mixed nuts
• 5 green chillies, cut finely
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• Oil as Needed
• Rock salt and Sugar
• 5 mashed boil potatoes
• 1/2 cup Coriander Leaves
• 3 Tbsp Ararot

For the gravy:

• 3 Tomatoes Pureed
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala powder
• 1 cup Cream
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp. Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 3 cup Curd
• 1 tsp. Turmeric Powder

Method of preparation:

First of all, make stuffing for kofta by mixing coconut, dry nuts, chillies, coriander leaves, salt and sugar to taste. Then, take mashed potatoes, add salt & ararot and make lemon-sized balls. Stuff a small quantity of the above mixture in the lemon-sized balls. Once done, deep fry them in hot oil and keep aside. Now, heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, powdered spices, tomato puree and curd. Cook till they mix well. Add sugar, salt, cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, add fried koftas and serve with a little cream and coriander leaves.

Aloo Paneer Cutlet

Ingredients:

• 200 Gms Paneer, Grated
• 3 Medium sized mashed potatoes
• 1½Tbsp. Almond Flour/Milk Powder/Khoya
• ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1½ Tbsp. Chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2 Tbsp. Ararot
• 3 Tbsp. mixed chopped dry fruits (Almonds, Cashews, Pistachois and Raisins)
• Oil for Frying
• Rock salt as required

Method of preparation:

In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients, except dry fruits. Check the seasoning and add more if needed. Take a medium sized ball, flatten it and put dry fruits in the center. Bring the edges toward the center and make the cutlet in any shape. Shallow or deep fry these cutlets in hot oil until they become golden brown. Serve them with green chutney or sweet chutney.

Pahadi Tikka

For Tikka

• 2 cups Paneer, cut into cubes
• 1 cup boiled and peeled baby potatoes, cut into halves
• 1 cup parboiled sweet potato, cut into cubes
• 1 cup parboiled Purple Ratalu (yam), cut into cubes and
• 1 Tbsp. Oil

For Marinade

• ½ cup Chakka Dahi (hung curd)
• 1 cup Chopped Dhania (coriander)
• 1½ cups Chopped Phudina (mint leaves)
• 2 tbsp. Chopped Green Chillies
• 2 tsp. Jeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
• Rock salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Thread one piece of each: paneer, ratadu, sweet potato and baby potato halves onto a toothpick and apply the marinade evenly on them. Keep aside the marinated tikkas for 15 to 20 minutes. Cook tikkas on a medium flame on a non-stick tava, using oil until the paneer and vegetables turns light brown in colour from all sides.

Aloo Ki Kadhi

Ingredients:

• 500 grams Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
• 1 cup Yogurt
• ½ tsp Red chilli powder
• ½ cup Singhare Ka Atta
• 5 Curry leaves
• 1 Tbsp. Ginger (sliced)
• 1tsp. Coriander powder
• 1tsp. Cumin seeds
• 2 Red chillies
• 2 cups Oil
• Rock salt as per taste

Method of preparation:

Combine potatoes, chilli powder, salt and singhare ka atta in a bowl. Keep ¼ of the mixture aside and make balls of the remaining batter. Deep fry the balls in hot oil and keep them aside. Now, mix yogurt, remaining batter & 4 cups of water well. Heat 1tbsp. oil and add cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Then, add ginger & coriander powder and saute for 1 minute. Pour the yogurt mixture and let it to boil. Add the fried pakoras to the kadhi and cook for 5 minutes.

Samvat Ka Pulao

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sama/Vrat Ke Chawal/Barnyard Millet
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ inch Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Green Cardamoms
• 2-3 Cloves
• 3-4 Whole Black Pepper
• ½ inch Ginger + 1 Green Chili (crushed)
• 8-10 Curry Leaves
• 8-10 Whole Cashews
• 8-10 Almonds
• 2 tbsp Oil or Ghee
• 2.5 to 3 cups Water
• 2 tbsp Peanuts
• 1 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2 Medium Potatoes, Peeled & Cubed
• 1 tbsp Chopped Coriander for Garnish
• Rock Salt as Required
• Lemon juice as required

Method of preparation:

Wash sama and soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Dry roast the peanuts and make powder (coarsely). Heat oil/ghee and add cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black pepper. Sauté for a minute and add ginger-green chili paste. Now, add potatoes, curry leaves, coriander and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. Add the peanut powder and sama rice. Then, add water & salt and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. In the meantime, dry roast cashews & almonds and chop them when they are cooled. Once the pulao is ready, garnish it with dry fruits and coriander leaves. Sprinkle some lemon juice while serving.

Dhokla

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Samwat Ke Chawal
• 1 cup Sour Yogurt
• 1 tsp. Ginger Paste
• 2 tsp. Oil/Ghee
• 6-7 Curry Leaves
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• Green Chillies Paste to Taste
• 1 tsp. Sendha Namak (rock salt)
• 2 Whole Dry Red Peppers
• Grated Coconut and Fresh Coriander for Garnish

Method of preparation:

Roast the samwat rice lightly without letting it brown. After that, grind it to make powder coarsely. Combine samwat powder, rock salt, chilli paste, ginger paste, yoghurt & water and leave it to ferment overnight. The next morning, transfer the batter into a greased tin and put into the steamer for 20 minutes to cook.

For tempering

Heat oil/ghee in a pan, add cumin, red pepper and curry leaves. Then, pour it over the dhokla.
Cut the dhokla into pieces and garnish it with the coriander and coconut.

Kebab

Ingredients:

• 4 Raw Bananas, boiled and grated
• 1/4 Cup Rajgira Flour
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
• 3 Green Chillis, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp. Roasted Peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 2 Tbsp. Cilantro (Coriander Leaves), finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper Powder
• Salt to Taste
• Oil for Deep Frying

Method of preparation:

Take a big bowl and add mashed banana, rajgira flour, peanuts, green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds, black pepper powder and salt. Then, make small cylindrical shape kebabs from the mixture. Deep fry the kebabs until golden brown. Serve with coriander chutney.