Navratri, a vibrant and spiritually significant festival, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across India. It spans nine nights and is dedicated to the worship of the goddess Durga. During this period, many devotees observe fasting, which involves abstaining from certain foods and ingredients. Despite these dietary restrictions, Navratri meals can be both delicious and nutritious. Here’s a thoughtfully curated Navratri menu for you to try.
Starters:
Handvo: Traditionally, Handvo is a savory cake made from rice and lentils. For a Navratri-friendly version, you can substitute regular rice with samvat rice (barnyard millet) and use sabudana (tapioca pearls) instead of lentils. This ensures the dish is light yet filling, providing a great start to the day. The addition of grated vegetables like bottle gourd and carrots, along with a tempering of cumin seeds and green chilies, enhances the flavor while adhering to fasting norms. So, begin your meal with vrat-friendly Handvo.
Mains:
Undhiyu: For mains, serve Undhiyu with Kuttu Ki Puri. Undhiyu is a mixed vegetable dish that is a winter specialty in Gujarat. For Navratri, you can prepare it using vegetables allowed during fasting, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, raw bananas, and pumpkin. Cook these vegetables along with a blend of fasting-friendly spices like cumin, chillies, and rock salt (sendha namak). Once ready, pair it with golden puffed (buckwheat flour) Kuttu Ki Puri, which is allowed during fasting. Such a hearty and nutritious combination of slow-cooked Undhiyu and Kuttu Ki Puri makes for a festive treat.
Bajre ki Khichdi:
Then is the time for the simple dish like Bajre ki Khichdi to cast its magic. While traditional Bajre ki Khichdi uses pearl millet, a fasting-friendly version can be made using samvat rice or amaranth. This dish is simple yet comforting, made with minimal spices and ghee. It’s easy to digest and provides sustained energy throughout the day. So, serve it by itself or with a glass of refreshing buttermilk seasoned with cumin powder and rock salt for added satisfaction.
Desserts:
Chhena Poda: End the meal with this sweet dish that is a specialty from Odisha. Chhena Poda is traditionally made by mixing paneer with sugar and cardamom, then baked until it has a caramelized crust. For Navratri however, ensure it’s prepared without any ingredients not allowed during fasting.
Thekua:
Finally serve this traditional sweet snack made from flour and jaggery. The dough is shaped into small discs and deep-fried until golden brown. However for a fasting-friendly version, use amaranth flour or buckwheat flour.
This Navratri menu ensures a variety of flavors and textures while adhering to the fasting rules. It celebrates the spirit of the festival with dishes that are both traditional and adapted for the occasion. Enjoy your festive meals and may the blessings of the goddess Durga be with you!
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