The Navratri festivities are upon us and devotees are excitedly looking forward to celebrating the nine avatars of Goddess Durga. A common ritual observed during these days is fasting. Taking a break from grains and processed food and returning to healthy, nutritious meals is a welcome change for the health of the body as well.
Here, we bring you 9 delicious Navratri recipes to brighten up your fasts.
1. Shakarkandi (sweet potato) Chaat
Tangy, sweet and highly nutritious, this snack is one of the popular vrat recipes.
Ingredients
2-3 sweet potatoes
Rock salt
Lemon
Directions
Boil and peel the sweet potatoes. You can also buy them pre-boiled from the market.
Chop them into 1-inch cubes.
Collect them in a bowl and toss them with lemon and rock salt. Enjoy it while it’s warm!
2. Makhana Kheer
One of the favourite Navratri fast recipes for those with a sweet tooth, this milk-based dessert is delicious and filling.
Ingredients
1 litre milk
1/3 cup makhana, chopped
1.5 tablespoons white crystal sugar
7 unsalted pistachio pods, chopped
5 unsalted almonds, chopped
Directions
In a heavy-bottomed pan, add the milk and makhanas. Leave the mixture on sim heat to cook for about 2 hours or till the makhana puffs are soft. Do not cover the pan when heating.
Add the sugar to the pan while stirring continuously and mix well for 3-4 minutes.
Add some of the chopped pistachios and almonds to the mix and stir them well.
Serve in a bowl and garnish with the remaining chopped pistachios and almonds.
You can enjoy this vrat ki recipe hot or cold.
3. Banana Almond Smoothie
Looking to quell the hunger without having to cook a meal? We bring you one of the quickest Navratri recipes to enjoy.
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 cup curd
5 almonds
1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend till you get a smooth consistency.
You can add ice or a few cashews for creaminess.
Pour into a glass and enjoy.
4. Samak Rice Dosa
Navratri fast recipes don’t have to be plain or boring. Enjoy crispy, crunchy and delicious dosas with this simple recipe.
Ingredients
2 cup samak rice
1 cup sabudana
1 cup hung curd
Rock salt
Oil
Directions
Clean the samak rice and sabudana and soak in water for 4 hours.
Blend the two with curd till you get a smooth paste and add rock salt as per taste.
On a thick pan, add a spoon of oil and pour a ladle of batter on the pan, spreading it evenly till you get a thin dosa.
Cook for a couple of minutes and serve.
Repeat the steps to make more dosas.
5. Fruit salad
All fruits are allowed in vrat recipes allowing devotees to make a delicious and filling meal. Here is a quick recipe to turn plain fruits into a delicious meal.
Ingredients
1 large banana peeled and sliced
1 large apple peeled cut into cubes
1 small orange, deseeded and segmented
1 small bunch of grapes, washed and separated
0.25 cups pomegranate seeds
Rock salt as per taste
Lemon
Directions
Mix all the fruits (except pomegranate seeds) into a bowl.
Mix well and toss with lemon and rock salt.
Top with pomegranate seeds and serve fresh.
6. Roasted Makhana
Also known as fox nuts, makhana is a top favourite during Navratri. For a crunchy side, prepare them as per the recipe given below
Ingredients
1 cup makhana
2 tablespoon ghee
Rock salt
Directions
In a pan, warm the ghee on sim heat and add makhanas. Be sure to mix well so that the ghee is coated well on the makhanas.
Add the salt and mix well.
Let the makhanas cook on sim for 25 minutes or till they become crunchy.
7. Imli Sonth Chutney
The perfect dip to enhance any meal, this vrat ki recipe is sure to tantalise your taste buds.
Ingredients
0.5 cup Imli
0.5 cup jaggery
1 teaspoon sonth (ginger) powder
2 teaspoon rock salt
1 tsp black rock salt
Pinch of black pepper
Directions
Soak tamarind in water till it is soft and mushy.
Strain the liquid and enhance it with water to get a thin consistency.
Add rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Leave it to thicken on sim heat and stir occasionally.
Once thickened, your chutney is ready to eat.
8. Navratri Special Barfi
A khoya barfi that is easy to make and fun to eat.
Ingredients
250 grams khoya
50 grams desiccated coconut
0.25 cup powdered sugar
Directions
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the khoya while stirring continuously till it becomes a smooth dough.
Take it off the heat and let it cool.
Once cooled, add sugar and coconut.
Mix well and set in a tray. Cut in squares or diamonds.
9. Sabudana Ladoo
A quick and easy recipe using tapioca pearls.
Ingredients
1 cup sabudana
0.5 cup desiccated coconut
0.5 cup powdered sugar
0.3 cup ghee
Pinch of cardamom powder
Cashews or almonds optional
Directions
Dry roast the sabudana pearls in a pan till they turn light brown. Cool the pearls and grind to a fine powder.
Roast the coconut powder and mix the sabudana powder in it.
To the mix, add sugar and cardamom powder and combine well. You can add chopped cashews and almonds at this stage.
Shape into ladoos and enjoy.
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