Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

5 Recipes: Regional Flavours Of Navratri

September 27, 2022 16:54 IST

Photograph: ANI

It's always memorable for friends and family to usher in the festival season with a hectic round of homecooking.

Let's choose from a few traditional vegetarian recipes you can quite easily prepare yourself at home and relish as you get soaked up in the festivities ahead.

Durga Puja is still a few days away, but the Navratri celebrations -- which commenced Monday and will continue till Dashmi -- are in full josh.

The festival, spanning nine nights, is marked with zabardast grandeur in several Indian states -- West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, among other states in India. While in the South, celebrations focus on a lavish bringing in of Dusshera.

Interestingly, the ways to worship the Goddess Durga and the Goddess Amba are quite different -- in Bengal and eastern India devotees prefer to feast, while in western and northern India they fast for their goddess.

On the food front, Navratri -- like so many other Indian festivals -- opens up a multiverse of flavours with all its special delicacies that are meant to nourish the mind, body, and soul.

A quintessential Navratri thali would have a good amount of millets, legumes, root vegetables like sweet potato or tapioca, and essential fats in the form of ghee or peanut oil.

Termed sattvik bhoj, Navratri meals are designed so those fasting attain a must-needed energy boost to power them through the day.

Every aspect of Navratri is associated with delectable dishes that are relished across the country during these divine nine days -- from lip-smacking savouries to wholesome sweets.

As a treat for these festive days, we offer five diverse Navratri and Durga Puja recipes.


Maharashtra's Ratalyacha Kees or Savoury Sweet Potato Fry

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Trivedi.harsh68/Creative Commons

Sweet Potato is a root vegetable frequently used in Maharashtrian cuisine in both sweet and savoury forms.

This traditional recipe is low in calories and balanced in complex carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fats.

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

Method


Gujarat's Sabudana Kheer or Sago Pudding

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka/Creative Commons

Sabudana Kheer is a delicious, filling fasting dessert and due to its unique texture and interesting mouth-feel, kids love it.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Method

Editor's Note: Veganise the kheer by using almond milk instead of cow's milk and cashew butter instead of ghee.

For sugar-free kheer use stevia powder. Each brand of stevia has its own stevia for sugar substitution ratio provided on its packing.


Rajasthan's Singhara or Water Chestnut Laddoos

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rajdeep Das/Creative Commons

These super yum laddoos are high in dietary fibre and are good sustenance on a fasting day. The laddoos can be made with either sugar or jaggery.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Method

Editor's Note: Veganise the laddoow by substituting ghee with cashew butter.

For sugar-free laddoow, use stevia powder. Each brand of stevia has its own stevia for sugar substitution ratio provided on its packing.


North India's Kuttu Ki Pooris or Deep-Fried Buckwheat Flatbread

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Itisha Kitchen/Instagram

A popular vrat or fasting recipe, these crispy, deep-fried Kuttu Pooris go well with aloo bhaji. Kuttu or buckwheat flour is gluten-free.  

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Method


Bengal's Luchi Aloor Dum ormDeep-Fried Indian Flatbread with Curried Potatoes

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.
Photographs: Kind courtesy (left) Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay/Creative Commons and (right) Biswarup Ganguly/Creative Commons

For Bengalis, Luchi and Aloor Dum is combination made in heaven, and perhaps that's why it is a staple breakfast in Bengali households on weekends.

During Durga Puja, you'll be able to relish this combo at almost every puja pandal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the curry

For the luchi

Method

For the Aloor Dum

For the luchi

MAYUR SANAP