A well-known Hindu festival, Chaitra Navratri 2023, is observed in Northern India during March and April. The devotees praise Goddess Durga for nine days in her nine forms during this festival. During these nine days of fasting, the followers perform Jagran, sing sacred melodies, and pray. During these nine days, it is thought that the Goddess lives on Earth with her followers. We’ve compiled 16 tasty and original fast recipes for Chaitra Navratri 2023 because we want to make this celebration even more pleasant and joyful for you.

All about Chaitra Navratri 2023

According to the Hindu calendar, Chaitra is the month in which Chaitra is celebrated; hence Chaitra Navratri 2023 takes its name from this month. Vasanta Navratri, or Chaitra Navratri 2023, falls under the Shukla Paksha of the Chaitra mass. Moreover, this holiday often falls between March and April on the Gregorian calendar. Sanskrit’s translation of the word “Navratri” is “nine nights,” and this holy festival is celebrated across India by people of all ethnic backgrounds for nine days in a row, with great dedication and affection. To worship Goddess Durga and Her nine divine forms, this festival is celebrated. During Navratri, prayers are conducted on each day in honour of one of Maa Durga’s nine forms.

Chaitra Navratri 2023 is a celebration that different regions will celebrate with varied customs and cultures, but it will all be celebrated to honour the triumph of good over evil. A wicked demon by the name of Mahishasura set out on a mission to kill Devs to obtain Indralok during the month of Chaitra. The devs begged Mahesh (The Destroyer), Vishnu (The Preserver), and Brahma (The Creator) for assistance in killing the demon when they became helpless and began to lose to the demon. The three gods gathered together, and a supreme deity named Goddess Durga was born as a result of their combined force. As a result of her killing Mahishasura and freeing the Devs, Chaitra Navratri and the worship of Goddess Durga were brought about. During these nine days, people worship nine different forms of Goddess Durga- Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidhatri.

The devotees share a few shared customs and cultural practices. The believers perform a nine-day fast. During Chaitra Navratri 2023, regular grains like wheat and rice are not to be consumed. Rajgira, also known as amaranth, Singhare, and Kuttu flour, are all acceptable. Samai ke chawal can be used in place of rice, khichdi, kheer, or dhoklas (barnyard millet). Another essential meal during Navratri is sabudana, which is used to make vadas, kheer, and papads. Black or rock salt should be used in place of normal salt when cooking with spices. The majority of people who fast during Navratri eat vegetables, fruits, and dairy items. For you to enjoy during this Chaitra Navratri 2023, we’ve compiled 16 delectable quick dishes.

16 Delicious and Simple Fast Recipes To Enjoy In Chaitra Navratri 2023

1. Makhana Ki Kheer: One of the healthiest and tastiest foods is Makhana, sometimes referred to as fox nuts or lotus seeds. Thus, Makhana kheer is a necessary addition. You only need three primary components to make this delectable dessert: milk, sugar, and Makhana. To begin preparing the dish, roast one cup of Makhana in pure A2 ghee. It will improve the dish’s flavour, aroma, and health benefits. ¼ of the roasted Makhana should be powdered. Now combine the milk, sugar, and roasted Makhana in a pan and heat through. When the mixture has reached a thick and creamy consistency, add the powdered makhana and stir. You can also include finely chopped cashews, raisins, saffron, and cardamom powder. Serve hot, and enjoy!
2. Sama Pulao: We present to you “Sama Ka Pulao,” one of the famous fasting recipes, as part of the Navratri Recipes Special. Sama is another name for vrat ke chawal. Sama, veggies, spices, and curd are required for this recipe. 2 tablespoons of ghee, cumin, ginger, and onion are added to sama pulao, along with a teaspoon of turmeric and rock salt. Next, combine all the desired vegetables with the soaked sama rice in a pressure cooker, mix well, and season with rock salt and chilli pepper to taste. Cook until two whistles, then serve hot with a bowl of fresh A2 dahi.
3. Kuttu Ke Pakore: One of the most popular and scrumptious fasting recipes is “Kuttu Ke Pakore,” which we are bringing to you as part of the Chaitra Navratri 2023 Recipes Special. You’ll need kuttu ka atta, potatoes, green chillies, and vegetable oil for this recipe. The first step is to boil and mash your potatoes. Green chillies, rock salt, chilli powder, jeera, and 1 cup of water are then added. To get a thick batter, combine them all together. Just deep fry till golden brown, then serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.
4. Sama Ki Idli: We wholeheartedly recommend that you make the Navratri-style idli this Chaitra Navratri 2023. It is a fermented idli made with samvat, samo, and sama, a type of grain that is frequently consumed in India when fasting. Sama rice and sabudana that have been soaked are ground in a grinder until they resemble a thick, creamy paste. A container should be used to combine the ground paste, sour curd, green chilli paste, rock salt, lemon, and a small amount of sugar. To begin the fermentation, thoroughly combine all the ingredients in the container and leave it in a warm location overnight. The next day, you can prepare some soft, delicious, and distinctive Idli with coconut chutney.
5. Banana Dry Fruits Smoothies: You can make a bowl of smoothies using bananas, dry fruits, and sugar when you’re in the mood for something healthy, delicious, and sweet. Blend fresh bananas, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, honey, and A2 milk to make this delectable concoction. Combine all of these ingredients in a blender and process until the mixture is thick and smooth. In a bowl, pour your smoothie, then top it with a banana and some dried fruit. Enjoy!
6. Ragi Aloo Tikki: This vrat recipe is a perennial favourite since it is incredibly tasty and filling. You must first boil and mash your potatoes before making Ragi Aloo tikki. Add rock salt, ground peanuts, green chillies, chilli powder, turmeric, and Ragi flour to the mashed potatoes as well. The ingredients should be combined to make dough. Then, fry your tikkis until they are crispy and golden brown in a frying pan with a little vegetable oil. Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.
7. Kuttu Ki Puri: You can add a little flair to your regular dinner during Chaitra Navratri 2023. Your puris will be made using Kuttu ka Atta rather than white flour, and like wheat-based puris, Kuttu puris are delicious and go well with any sabzi. Use boiled potatoes, Kuttu ka Atta, black pepper, rock salt, green chillies, and some oil to make Kuttu ki puri. These should all be combined to create soft dough. Take a pan, heat the vegetable oil in it, and then fry the puris one at a time until they are fully done. Serve hot with any chutney or sabzi.
8. Farali Paneer Sabzi: You said that eating sabzi or roti during vrat is prohibited. Farali paneer sabzi goes well with roti or Kuttu ki puri. To create this recipe, in a pan, roast garam masala and ground them into a fine powder. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, cumin, ginger, and tomato puree to another pan. Once the oil has begun to surf on the top, add spices to taste using pure malai that has been mixed. Combine all the ingredients, then add the paneer cubes and garam masala after cooking. Give it five more minutes to cook. Serve with a bowl of curd, fried green chillies, and Kuttu ki puri.
9. Sweet Potato Chaat: Would you like something a little juicy, tangy, and sweet? The popular Indian food item, sweet potato, is one that we happily eat, along with fruits and veggies. Add mashed boiling sweet potato, diced tomatoes, apples, and bananas to create the ideal bowl of sweet potato chaat. You are free to add any additional fruits you would like in addition to these. Then include mint leaves, jeera powder, black salt, lemon juice, red chilli powder, and chaat masala. Enjoy after thoroughly combining these ingredients!
10. Samosa: Who doesn’t like warm samosas for a snack in the evening? We provide you with a simple and delicious vrat Samosa recipe that you can make at home right away. The only variation in the way it is made compared to a regular Samosa is the type of flour used to form the outer layer. We shall use samvat rice flour in place of all-purpose flour. Samvat rice flour, Ajwain, jeera, ghee, rock salt, and water should be placed in a basin. Make dough by combining them, and set it away for at least 30 minutes. Boil the potatoes and mash them with the chaat masala, green chillies, jeera powder, red chilli powder, rock salt, coriander powder, and any spices of your choice to make the aloo filling. You can now prepare your aloo filling by combining them. Make tiny triangle-shaped rotis out of your Samvat rice dough, sandwich them with aloo filling, and wrap them up. When finished, deep-fry until golden brown. Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney, and enjoy!
11. Dahi Arbi: March is the month that arbi is grown, and people love it since it resembles a potato but tastes even better. Dahi arbi, a delectable dish, is made by combining this wonderful root vegetable with pure and fresh A2 curd. To prepare this dish, heat cooking oil in a skillet and add jeera, finely sliced onions, and ginger, along with a pinch of turmeric and rock salt. Onions should be sautéed till golden brown. After that, cook for an additional 10 minutes before adding tomatoes, arbi, and green chillies. Mix the curd with the rock salt, red pepper flakes, coriander powder, and any spices of your choice in a small bowl. Now add this mixture to the vegetables you are cooking, and cook them until oil appears on the surface. After that, add water and cook for an additional five minutes. Serve with puri, Rajgira roti, or Kuttu puri and top with chopped coriander.
12. Basundi: Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka are home to the well-known sweet dish basundi. Because of its sweet flavour and nuts, both children and adults love it very much. To make this dish, take a pan and fill it with milk. Cook on low heat until the milk is reduced to half its original volume. Add the sugar, saffron, cardamom powder, chopped nuts, and orange food colouring after that. It has a condensed milk flavour and is sprinkled with chopped nuts. It may be served hot or cold.
13. Walnut Banana Lassi: What could be more thrilling than beginning your Chaitra Navratri 2023 fasting day with a delicious and satisfying lassi that has flavours of fresh banana and walnut? Simply blend a glass of fresh milk with the chopped banana to make this delicious treat, and then blend it until it has the thickness of lassi. Place it in a glass and garnish with walnuts that have been chopped or ground into the mixture itself. Sugar is not necessary because bananas naturally sweeten food.
14. Sweet Potato Halwa: Typically, whole wheat or sooji, carrots or lauki, or both are used to make the halwa that is cooked at our houses. But, we never considered making a fasting halwa recipe and doing it with a vegetable. It is possible by using mashed boiled sweet potatoes^[1]. Mash some sweet potatoes in a pan and add some ghee. Add milk to the mixture after cooking the potatoes until they are a light brown colour. Sauté the halwa till it turns brown. Finally, after another two minutes of cooking, add the sugar and cardamom powder. Add chopped almonds as a garnish before serving hot.
15. Farali Potato Chip: This Farali potato chip recipe is just as good as regular potato chips. After being cut into thin slices, the potatoes are soaked in salt water for 20 minutes before being deep-fried. They are excellent and flavourful because they are flavoured with stone salt and black pepper. During your Chaitra Navratri 2023 fast, you can enjoy these crispy snacks in the morning or the evening.
16. Rajgira Puri: The delectable aloo puris don’t need to be missed! We are presenting you with a Rajgira puri dish that is quick and delicious. Rajgira flour is used to make the puri dough, which is then cooked in oil to create soft, puffy puris. You would want to eat some of those every day you fast because they are delicious. You can serve them with any vrat sabzi, such as aloo, paneer, or more, and green chutney.

Conclusion

In Indian culture, fasting has long been practised and has been around for many years for both physical and spiritual purposes. An individual can live a healthy, disease-free life by fasting once every week, according to Ayurveda. People used to fast traditionally by only eating fruits or drinking water, but nowadays, it’s hard to stop them from eating substantial meals. Nonetheless, you can make healthful and filling vrat foods this Chaitra Navratri 2023 and take great pleasure in the holiday with family and friends.

Read our Article: Happy Navaratri 2022: A Festival of Utmost Importance for Hindus

The post Chaitra Navratri 2023: 16 Vrat-Friendly Recipes to Try appeared first on SwadeshiVIP.