Navratri 2023: Easy Vrat Recipes to Try This Navratri at Home

Navratri is a highly anticipated nine-day celebration in India, commencing on October 15 and concluding on October 23 this year.

This vibrant and spiritually significant festival is dedicated to the nine forms of the goddess.

During Navratri, devotees across India fast, pray and follow a strict vegetarian diet known as Vrat foods. This diet often excludes onions and garlic, emphasizing pure and satvik cuisine.

Navratri Fasting and Food

During Navratri fasting, followers consume a variety of ingredients, including fruits, potatoes, sago, water chestnut flour, buckwheat flour, milk, curd, paneer, and milk products. Rock salt replaces regular salt in these dishes, and despite the limited ingredients, traditional Indian recipes can be prepared to ensure that fasting doesn't leave you hungry.

Navratri Special Thali: Delectable Vrat Dishes 

1. Kuttu Puri: Crispy delights made from buckwheat flour, mashed boiled potatoes, and aromatic spices, which pair wonderfully with potato curry or can be made with Rajgira (water chestnut flour) for variation.

2. Sabudana Khichdi: A light and flavourful dish made from sago pearls, blended with mild spices, often served with curd.

3. Aloo Jeera: A simple and quick dish that involves frying boiled and cubed potatoes with cumin seeds, green chilies, and rock salt, optionally garnished with chopped coriander.

4. Makhana (Fox Nuts) Snacks: Roasted makhana is a popular snack during Navratri. You can also make a simple spiced makhana mixture with peanuts.

3. Vratwale Paneer: Paneer takes center stage in this Vrat Paneer. Prepare by mixing grated paneer with potatoes, rock salt, and spices, then pan-fry or deep-fry for a filling and tasty snack.

4. Vrat-Friendly Kaddu Ki Sabzi: A pumpkin-based dish with a tantalizing spice blend for added variety in your fasting meals.

5. Rajgira Kadhi: A fasting-friendly version of the beloved North Indian Kadhi made with Rajgira flour, curd, ginger, green chilli, cumin, and a hint of sugar, omitting turmeric.

6. Vrat-Friendly Kaddu Ki Sabzi: Another version of pumpkin-based dish to savour during Navratri fasting.

7. Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Curry: A simple curry with bottle gourd, tomatoes, and fasting-approved spices, such as sendha namak (rock salt), cumin seeds, and green chilies.

8. Singhare Atte Ka Halwa: A sweet dish made from water chestnut flour (singhare ka atta), cooked with ghee, sugar, and water to create a delightful halwa.

9. Fruit Salad: Combine an assortment of fruits like bananas, apples, and pomegranates, drizzle honey, and sprinkle sendha namak for taste.

10. Kebab e Kela: Vrat-special kebabs crafted from raw bananas, prepared by mixing raw bananas with buckwheat flour, green chilies, red chilies, ginger, and rock salt.

11. Samvat Rice Kheer: A delightful Navratri dessert prepared by cooking Samvat rice in milk, sugar, cardamom, and crushed nuts until creamy. Enjoy this sweet treat during the festival.

This Navratri Special Thali offers a delectable array of Vrat foods that follow the fasting guidelines, allowing you to enjoy a satvik and flavorful feast during the Navratri celebration.