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Navratri

NAVRATRI (Fasting Special Recipes)

These traditional fasting-friendly dishes are prepared using simple, sattvic ingredients, slow cooking techniques, and aromatic spices—ensuring nourishment, flavour, and balance while observing vrat or fasting rituals.

1. Lauki Tamater Ka Saag


A light, wholesome preparation of bottle gourd cooked with tomatoes and mild spices.

Ingredients
  • Lauki (Bottle gourd) – 1 medium
  • Desi ghee – 3 tbsp
  • Green chillies – 2 nos
  • Tomatoes – 2 medium
  • Ginger – 1 tsp (chopped)
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • Black pepper powder – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Sendha namak – to taste
Garnish
  • Fresh coriander (chopped) – 1 tbsp
Preparation

Peel, wash and cut the lauki into small dices. Wash and chop tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, and coriander.

Method

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. Add green chillies and ginger, sauté briefly. Add turmeric, black pepper and sendha namak. Add lauki with half cup water and mix well. Cover and cook for 3 whistles on medium heat. Finish with chopped coriander.

To Serve: Serve hot in a bowl.

2. Phalhari Kofta


A rich and indulgent fasting delicacy made with bananas, nuts, and aromatic spices.

Kofta Ingredients
  • Raw bananas – 4 nos
  • Ripe bananas – 4 nos
  • Kuttu ka atta – 1 tsp
  • Sendha namak – to taste
  • Ghee – for frying
Stuffing
  • Cashew nuts – 20 gm
  • Raisins – 20 gm
  • Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Gravy Ingredients
  • Desi ghee – 100 gm
  • Curd – ½ cup
  • Milk – ½ cup
  • Sendha namak – to taste
  • Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
  • Nutmeg powder – a pinch
  • Rose water – 1 tbsp
Paste
  • Desiccated coconut – 2 tbsp
  • Almonds – 5 pcs
  • Ghee (used for frying kofta) – 2 tsp
  • Water – 1 cup
Garnish
  • Fresh cream – 1 tbsp
Preparation – The Kofta

Boil raw bananas with skin until they burst open. Boil ripe bananas separately using the same method. Peel all bananas and grind into a smooth paste. Mix kuttu ka atta and sendha namak. Stuff with nuts and raisins, shape into koftas and fry in ghee until golden.

To Serve: Serve hot with phalhari roti or vrat rice.

3. Makhane Ki Kheer


A rich and creamy fasting-friendly dessert made with milk, roasted fox nuts, and aromatic cardamom.

Ingredients
  • Milk – 2 kg
  • Makhana (Fox nuts) – 250 gm
  • Sugar – 500 gm
Garnish
  • Crushed green cardamom seeds – 100 gm
Method

Split the makhana in half and dry roast in a pan until crisp. Boil milk on a slow flame for about 10 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Add roasted makhana and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add sugar and stir well until dissolved. Garnish with crushed cardamom seeds.

To Serve: Serve warm or chilled as preferred.

4. Tamater and Khajoor Ki Launji


A tangy-sweet fasting-friendly preparation of tomatoes and dates cooked in aromatic spices.

Ingredients
  • Tomatoes – 8 medium
  • Dates (sliced) – 3 tbsp
  • Desi ghee – 2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
  • Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Sugar – 5 tsp
  • Sendha namak – to taste
Garnish
  • Green chillies – 3 nos (slit)
Method

Wash and cut tomatoes into wedges. Wash and slit green chillies. Heat ghee until smoking and add cumin seeds. Allow the cumin to darken slightly to release its aroma. Add spices, tomatoes, sliced dates, salt and sugar. Stir well and cook on high flame for 3–4 minutes until tomatoes are just tender. Do not overcook, as the preparation should retain texture and not turn into a sauce. Garnish with green chillies.

To Serve: Serve hot as a side dish during fasting meals.