The festive season of Navratri is here, and it is time for both revelry and fasting. The auspicious occasion is characterized by the indigenous cuisine especially fashioned for those who are fasting on all or some of the nine days of the festival, to invoke the energy of the mother goddess and purify the body and mind.
In this post, I have shared a signature collection of Navratri Recipes. The list features both the most popular Navratri Fast Recipes or Vrat Recipes as well as lesser known or unusual ones too.
It is always better to check with your family members and elders before deciding on the menu. If you plan to keep fast during the Navratri festival, then do check this list of Navratri Fasting Food and Rules.
Here, I have shared some basic and some Navratri Special Recipes that are usually consumed during this festival. These Navratri Fast Recipes are usually quick and easy to make.
Also, remember to use edible rock salt (sendha namak) in recipes where I have not added it.
A thing particular to North India is that people in that side of the country only consume certain ingredients comprising of flours and grains during these 9 days of fasting. These are:
- Sabudana (sago)
- Peanuts
- Flours and grains like Kuttu ka atta, sama ke chawal ka atta, vrat ke chawal or singhare ka atta
- Rock salt (sendha namak)
I am sure that with this list, you can easily prep and plan your fasting menu for the Navratri festival season.
1. Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
Sabudana is full of starch or carbohydrates which gives you the much-needed energy boost while fasting. Sabudana khichdi is a traditional fasting food made with Sabudana pearls, boiled potatoes, roasted peanuts, and a few spices.
It takes little skill to make a khichdi in which the sabudana pearls are not sticking or have turned lumpy, despite the fact that this is an easy and delicious snack and an excellent recipe to prepare during fasting days.
2. Kuttu ki puri Recipe
Kuttu ke Atte ki puri is crisp and tasty Indian fry bread made with buckwheat flour for religious fasting or vrat. Kuttu ki poori or buckwheat puri is a staple food like Navratri, or Ekadashi during vrat. Crispy and flavorful kuttu pooris are commonly made in vrat or upwas in North India.
Made with ‘sendha namak’ or rock salt, which is specially used in making vrat food. Kuttu ki puri has buckwheat flour mixed with potatoes and salt and deep fried till crisp.
3. Makhana kheer
Desserts inspire a cheer, here’s for you a kheer recipe made with makhana and nuts. Indulge without worrying about the weighing scale! This delicious kheer recipe is going to make you’re fasting all the more worthwhile!
Makhane ki kheer is a sweet dessert pudding made with Makhana (foxnuts), milk, ghee, sugar, and dry fruits. It is a delicious dessert which can be served on any occasion especially for vrat or fasting days.
4. Kale Chane Recipe
Kale Chane (Black Chickpeas Curry) is easy to make, protein-rich, and delicious Indian curry served with a bowl of steamed rice. It is made by adding boiled Kala Chana (a unique variety of chickpeas) to onions, tomatoes, and spices.
On Ashtami (One of the Indian festivals), these are made in dry form without any onions, garlic and tomatoes, and we have these with poori(fried Indian bread) and halwa, and these taste delicious to the core!
5. Coconut chutney recipe
Farali coconut chutney recipe –This is farali nariyal ki chutney. Meaning this can be consumed during the vrat, fast, or upvaas like Navratri, ekadasi, maha shivratri, and so on.
This quick and simple Phalahari Vrat ki Chutney is ideal for any fasting day. The term phalahari or falahari refers to ‘phal’ which means fruit and ‘aahar’ means diet – a meaning a diet that contains fruits and non-grain items.
During fasting days, people consume falahari diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, dry nuts, and some dairy products. No onion and garlic are consumed in this diet and vrat recipes are prepared with few simple ingredients.
6. Vrat wale Aloo
A tasty sabji called “Vrat wale Aloo” is cooked from boiled potatoes, peanuts, and a few spices. It is a food that is free of gluten yet high in carbohydrates. This aloo sabji comes together in under 15 minutes using simple ingredients.
It provides the body with immediate energy, making it the ideal snack on days when Hindus are fasting (vrat).
You can make this sabzi and serve it with pooris or chappatis any time. It is naturally difficult to go without eating salt during Navratri, the nine-day holiday where fasting is observed the whole festival, hence rock salt or sendha namak is used in place of regular salt.
7. Carrot halwa
It is a delicious delight during the winter months. Prepare this delicious dessert for special occasions.
Grated carrots, milk, sugar and nuts are stirred and cooked together. Whole lot of nuts make this a great choice to fulfill those post meal dessert cravings.
It isn’t difficult to make, but it does tend to take a bit of time. If you’d like to make gajar ka halwa more of a regular occurrence, consider using one of my genius shortcuts listed below!
8. Mishti Doi
Mishti Doi is a classic Bengali sweet made with milk, curd culture, and jaggery or sugar. The jaggery used traditionally to make mishti doi is palm jaggery. In Bengali language ‘mishti’ means sweet and ‘doi’ is curd.
The simple and yet humble mishti doi would undeniably be one of the sweets I would always buy.
9. Kaju Katli
Kaju Katli is a delicious sweet to prepare at home yet very easy. A delectable blend of cashew nut and milk, topped by silver leaf. Perfect Kaju Katli is a traditional Indian cashew fudge candy that’s terrifically smooth, thin, and melts in your mouth.
It is a traditional cashew fudge, and is one of the most sought-after and loved Indian sweets. Whenever we get a big box at home they disappear in a matter of days.
10. Rasmalai
There’s nothing more delicious than a plate of Ras Malai and Rabri! if you are also a fan of this soft and light sweet dish, there you are at the right spot. Here is a detailed and step-by-step recipe with which you can easily make Ras Malai at home.
A creamy, luscious dessert that completely melts in your tongue is the end product. Use my simple, step-by-step instructions to make this soft and delicious rasmalai dish.
