6 Navratri Recipes | All-time Favourite and Heart Warming Vrat ka Khana
What exotic and mouth-watering Navratri recipes are wielding their magical aroma in your kitchen this Navratri?
It is that time of the year when most homes in India are abuzz with rituals, and a holy atmosphere prevails.
There is an air of piety, religious zeal and festivities in the air as devotees of Goddess Durga offer prayers and seek her blessings.
Spanning over nine days, Navratri signifies the nine avatars of Goddess Durga and is observed twice a year, at the turn of spring and autumn.
People fast and switch to satvik diet (no onion, no garlic) to please and show their gratitude to the deity and also to detoxify their bodies.
Phool makane, sendha namak, aloo, singhara, kuttu ka atta, sabudana, sendha namak (rock salt) and samak ke chawal are some of the ingredients used to make delicious vrat ka khana in Indian homes.
Every home has its favourite Navratri vrat recipes, some that have been passed down generations, are incredibly delicious while being simple and quick to make.
We have put together 6 Navratri recipes that have pleased the palate, heart and soul for decades, if not centuries.
6 Ever-favourite Navratri Recipes
1. Sabudana Khichdi
Hands down favourite in all homes, sabudana khichdi is undoubtedly food for the soul. This easy to prepare dish never fails to bring on the oohs and aahs from kids and adults alike.
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Quick Recipe Easy to make, all you need is soaked and drained sabudana, boiled potatoes, grated ginger, sendha namak, red chilli powder, green chillies, coriander leaves, and some lemon juice. Heat oil in a pan. Add grated ginger, green & red chillies and cook for thirty seconds. Add boiled and chopped potatoes. Cook well. Add rock salt as per taste. Mix and add soaked and drained sabudana. Be careful not to keep the flame too high as sabudana tends to become sticky if cooked over a high flame. Adjust salt, add lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves, mix well, and cover. Cook on low flame for a minute and turn off the heat. Let it sit for five minutes. Ready to be relished with a refreshingly cool glass of Minty Strawberry Orange Cooler. |
2. Singhare ki Sabzi
An innovative style of using singhare (water chestnut) in cooking, this is one interesting dish. Generally peeled and eaten raw, this dish takes the favourite singhare to a different level altogether.
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Quick Recipe Boil the singhare till a little tender. Do not overcook. Peel and mash roughly with a fork. Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a pan and add mashed singhare and cook for a while. Add boiled and mashed potatoes (just one or two). Add rock salt, a little black pepper powder and keep cooking till the vegetable is cooked thoroughly and the ghee starts to separate from it. Cover and leave for five minutes so that the aromas and spices amalgamate. This slightly sweet delicacy is best enjoyed with kuttu ki poori and a tall glass of lassi. |
3. Kuttu ki Poori
Navratri is not complete without some preparation with kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour). Extremely filling, the pooris prepared with this atta are soft, crisp and delicious. They are a great accompaniment with vrat wale aloo, singhare or kaddu ki sabzi, to name a few.
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Quick Recipe Take kuttu ka atta in a flat utensil (parat). Add sendha namak and cumin powder and mix with a spoon. Take hot water and mix well with a spoon, cover and allow it to cool down. Once cool, knead to soft dough, adding a teaspoon of ghee if required. Make small balls and roll out in slightly thick circles. Deep fry the pooris in hot oil and serve. These pooris can be made plain, or one can also knead some boiled and mashed potatoes with the dough. Serve with hot vrat wale aloo, kaddu ki sabzi or even with coriander-mint chutney. They taste delish with all. |
4. Vrat Wale Aloo
A staple during Navratri, this is a hot favourite dish throughout the year and loved by all. Raseele vrat wale dahi aloo finds favour will all for their simple, yet flavourful taste.
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Quick Recipe Heat some ghee in a pan. Add grated ginger and stir fry. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and green chillies (optional). Add deseeded and pureed and tomatoes. Cook the mixture for a while. Now whip two to three tablespoons of thick curd and add to the mix. Cook for another couple of minutes. Now add boiled and mashed potatoes, mix thoroughly, lower the flame and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Garnish the aloo with chopped coriander leaves and serve with samak rice, kuttu or singhare ki poori. Rich, colourful, aromatic and supremely delicious this dish surely and truly captures the taste buds and the heart. |
5. Paneer Aloo Kebab
This one is so divine that you will be smacking your lips till much later. A heavenly coming together of the ever-favourite potatoes, cottage cheese, yoghurt and spices, this dish will take you to drool-heaven, no question asked!
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Quick Recipe Hang some curd in a muslin cloth till nice and thick. In a bowl, add grated paneer and a couple of mashed potatoes to the hung curd. Add sendha namak, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder, chopped coriander leaves and mix thoroughly. Now grease your palms and take a small dollop of the prepared mix and form balls. Pat the kebabs gently to flatten a bit and shallow fry in a pan. Voila! The delightful Paneer aloo kebabs are yours to devour. Relish with yummy coriander-mint chutney on the side and a glass of Gingery Jamun Cooler. |
6. Lauki ka Halwa
A delectable dessert, who would have thought the humble lauki (bottle gourd), can be used so innovatively. A rich Indian sweet dish made with lauki or dudhi, milk, sugar, ghee and cardamom powder and cooked over a low flame, it is toothsome and full of flavours.
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Quick Recipe Heat some ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai. Add freshly grated lauki and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once the aroma fills the air, add full cream milk and keep cooking. Do not forget to stir occasionally. Once it begins to thicken, add sugar (as per taste), cardamom powder and chopped nuts. Keep cooking and keep stirring, till the mixture is well amalgamated and ghee starts to separate from it. Delicious and aromatic Lauki ka Halwa is ready and will be gobbled up in no time at all. |
Navratri brings with it cheer, optimism, gratitude and a new beginning. Enjoy these delish Navratri recipes with your friends and family and let the festive spirit take over.
Every household has its own treasured recipe for Navratri. It could be an old favourite or a new take. Share yours with us, in the comment section below, and the most innovative recipe stands a chance to win a gift hamper from Valley Spice.