Vrat Ke Arbi Sabzi | Navratri Vrat Recipe | Phalahari Tari Arbi (Taro) Sabzi

Phalahari Arbi Sabzi or Kochhai/Taro/Colocasia is delicious curry or sabzi made with arbi and this is suitable curry for Navratri fasting/vrat/upwas with no onion no garlic and everything that is not allowed in fasting.  We can make this curry not only during fasting but on normal days too just change sendha namak/rock salt with regular salt and enjoy this no onion no garlic curry with anything of choice.

Phalahari Dudhi (Lauki) Sabzi | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Phalahari Laudki/Dudhi Sabzi is simple bottlegourd recipe suitable during Navratri fasting and any other fasting vrat occasion. Made with minimal ingredients this vrat ke dudhi sazbi is mild in flavors and taste yum. As this is vrat recipe so this sabzi has no onion no garlic suitable for people whom avoid garlic, onion in cooking.

Singahara Atta Recipes | Fasting Vrat Recipes | Water Chestnut Flour Recipes

 

Singhara Atta or singhada atta, water chesetnut flour is one of the important flour or ingredients during fasting (vrat/upwas). There are various recipes made with singhara atta for fasting (phalahar) in festivals like Navratri, Durja Pooja, Janmashtami, Shiv Ratri, Ekadashi etc in North India. Singhara atta is made from singhara or water chestnut, singhara or water chestnut also known as water caltrop are floating annual aquatic plants growing in slow-moving water up to 5 meters deep, singhada atta is made from dried ground water chestnut where chestnuts are boiled, peeled, dried and then ground to flour and thus normal shelf life of singhara atta or water chestnut flour is up to a year.

Carrot Kheer | Carrot Payasam | Navratri Vrat Fasting Recipes

Carrot Kheer (Gajar ki Kheer) or Carrot Paysam is delicious sweet or dessert suitable for all occasion, celebration, festivals and for fasting (Vrat/Upwas) too. Carrot kheer is made with minimal ingredients and it's very easy to prepare, this kheer almost taste like rabri creamy and yum, carrot kheer is great idea for party, get together or diwali dessert as it's takes almost same time even if made in large quantity, the only time we spend is grating the carrot but there's also a quick fix way for it.

Singhara Atta Cheela (Chilla) | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Singhara or Singhada atta cheela is quick fasting (vrat/upwas/navratri) recipe, singhara cheela/dosa is ideal vrat (navratri) ka khana and taste yum if you like singhara atta. Singhara Aloo Puri is great but we can't be doing that every day so this cheela is real treasure recipe which is of course very simple. Not only during fasting we can make singhara atta (water chestnut flour) cheela any day for breakfast as it’s quite filling and healthy and gluten free.

Kaccha Kela Aloo Tikki | Navratri Vrat Fasting Recipes | Plantain Potato Cutlet

Kaccha Kela Aloo Tikki or Phalahari Tikki or Kachcha kele ki tikki (cutlet) is healthy snack or starter during Navratri fasting (vrat/upwas) or as tea time snack, breakfast and today we going to learn how to make these easy and yummy kele aloo tikki. Not only during fasting or vrat but we can make any time these tikkis. You can try this same recipe to make only as kele ki tikki or as aloo tikki or any other tikki(cutlet) for that matters.

Navratri Recipes | Navratri Vrat Fasting Recipes and Rules 2013

 

Navratri Fasting (Vrat/Upwas) recipes or Navratri fasting food (vrat ka khana) and fasting rules or guidelines (Navratri Vrat Vidhi), I am compiling here for easy access of vrat or fasting recipes and general rules.  Navratri festival celebrated across India in different forms and durga pooja, dandiya/garba and kolu is famous among navratri customs.  Nav means nine so it's 9 days of celebration and worship of Durga (Shaki/Devi) in different avatars.   

Phalahari Mungfali Til Chutney | Peanuts Sesame Chutney | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Phalahari Mungfali Til Chutney, Vrat Ki Chatni, Peanut Sesame Chutney is delicious chutney suitable for fasting (vrat/upwas) or with idli-dosa or any tiffin items. If you like peanut chutney then you will love this one too, sesame makes this chutney creamy and tasty. This is another chutney that I make often other than my peanut chutney, onion tomato chutney. The best thing about this chutney is it's suitable for everyday and also while fasting (vrat/upwas).

Phalahari Hari (dhaniya) Chutney Recipe for Fasting | Navratri Vrat-Upwas Recipes

Phalahari Hari Chutney or Vrat ki dhaniya chatni or fasting green coriander chutney whatever we may call is chutney recipe suitable for Navratri or any other fasting. This is no onion no garlic recipe and made with simple and few ingredients. This simple green chutney is suitable for fasting or just any day you just want to replace sendha namak (rock salt) with normal salt if not making this during fasting.

Dates Payasam (Kheer) | Onam Sadya Recipes

It's best time of year with all the festivals while we have Ganesh Ustav on-going Onam is also around the corner and people celebrating Vishu must be already preparing Onam Sadya menu and doing all the preparation.  Onam is Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala - western southern state of India though it's a festival celebrated by all in Kerala.

Vegan Dates Sesame Laddu | Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

Dates and sesame seeds laddu is made only with 3 ingredients and it's sugar-free, ghee-butter-free, fat-free and guilt-free sweet. Perfect for any time whether you are having sweet craving or as a dessert, snack, Naivedyam and for all festivals as Ganesh Chaturthi is approaching and Ganeshji likes laddu very much I thought of sharing this recipe with you all as it's easy, quick and good to have healthy sweet among all the various goodies made during festive.

Dhaniya Panjiri (Panjeeri) | Janmashtami Naivedyam Recipes

Tomorrow is Krishna Janmashtami celebration and as custom in our home I prepared Dhaniya Panjiri, a must naivedyam in Janmashtami,   Almost in every home/temple dhaniya panjiri can be seen in U.P and Punjab.  Unlike usual panjiri which is made with wheat flour this one is made specially with coriander seeds to offer as Prasad (Naivedyam) in Krishna Jayanthi as grains are not allowed as prasand or for fasting in North India.  Dhaniya panjeeri is also eaten first after breaking fast or during fasting.

Mango Sago Pudding Recipe | Mango Recipes

Mango Sago is popular Singapore Dessert, one can find it in most of the food courts in dessert stalls. Mango Sago pudding is one of my favorite dessert after another popular green bean soup.  Mildly sweet, light with mango flavors it's a treat to eat.  I wanted to post this recipe for years now but somehow it just didn't happened until this time I decided to change my timing when I make this to click pictures.

Lauki Raita | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Lauki Raita is very regular in my parents house, my mom use to make this mostly for guest as it's different from usual onion, cucumber raita. Though I don't make much of these I rather use my lauki/bottle gourd in dal, sabzi etc but once in a while for change I make this too.

Vrat ke Dahi Puri | Navratri Vrat Recipes

As mentioned in my previous post of Singhara Halwa it's time for Navratri again and today I am posting of the fasting recipe which makes the fasting menu different.  Remember my Vrat Ke Papadi Chat?  On the same line I did Vrat Ke Dahi Puri, used here is rajgira atta you can also try this with singhara or kuttu ka atta.

Singhara Halwa | Navratri Vrat Recipes

It's time of Navratri again and it's called Vasanta Navratri in spring season (Mar-Apr) also known as Chaitra Navratri and this year Vasant Navratra is from 11th April to 19th April 2013.  Though all people doesn't observe fast during chaitra navratri but some people do that.  I prepared this Singhara Halwa during last year navratra but didn't manage to post and now I got a good opportunity to use these pictures.

Lauki Kheer | Dudhi Kheer Recipe

 
Wishing everyone Happy Dussehra.   I wanted to post something sweet on this special day but cooking in morning and posting the same day is not my cup of day.  So using this kheer recipe which was suppose to be part of my Navratri Vrat Recipes.  Bottle gourd/Lauki/Doodhi is a wonderful vegetable, we can make sabji, dal, kofta, halwa, kheer and so  many other things from it.  


Lauki Ki Kheer is widely made during fasting and also on festivals.   It’s very easy to prepare with minimal ingredients and taste delicious.  Before I start to peel and grate bottle gourd I keep milk to boil and let it simmer until I needed it in kheer, it helped me to save time later while cooking kheer as it was done fast and made thick creamy kheer.  Try this one time and you will fall in love with this delicious kheer.
 


Ingredients:

Milk - 1 Liter/5 Cups  [I used full cream]
Lauki/Bottle gourd - 500gms [Around 3 cups grated]
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Cashews - 8-10
Almonds - 5-6
Raisins - 15-20
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp



Method:

1. Keep milk for boiling, after it boils slow flame to medium and let it simmer to reduce milk to 3/4 or until we need it to use. 

2. Wash, peel and remove seeds from bottle gourd and grate it.
3. Squeeze grated bottle gourd/lauki to remove water.  Don’t discard the water but use it in your dal or to make roti dough.

4. In a pan heat ghee add bottle gourd and sauté until light golden brown for around 5-6 minutes.

5. Now add boiled milk and mix well.  Milk will start to boil again, add dry fruits and cook in medium to slow flame and simmer it for 8-10 minutes.  In regular interval keep stirring the kheer.

6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.  To check if kheer is done if you drop kheer both milk and bottle gourd should go down together then your kheer is done, if you have bottle gourd stick to your ladle means it’s not done yet, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve it warm or cold with dry fruits garnish. I like it cold and chilly.



Variations~

~ You can add 1/2 cup condense milk to make kheer creamy, in this case reduce sugar.  And you don’t have to simmer milk for long.
~ You can also add khoya if you wish to make the kheer very rich.

Have a nice day ~~

Vratwale Aloo Puri | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Vrat Ke Aloo Puri is popular recipe during fasting other than sabudana khichdi.  Puri generally made with Singara (Water Chestnut) or Kuttu (buckwheat) flour, as these two flours are eligible to eat during fasting.   Looks wise these puri may not score point as they are dark in color and not really appealing to eyes but it taste delicious.  Potato is added to make the dough as it’s difficult to make dough only of singhara or kuttu atta, not only during fasting but try this any day for a change from usual poori.  


Vratwale Aloo is simple potato stir fry without onion, garlic etc.  In this recipe we need lots of cumin which bring wonderful flavor to the dish along with crushed coriander seeds which takes this simple aloo sabji to new level.  Try this once and you will make this again and again, this recipe is very good for party or get-together as it’s very quick and simple but taste very good.  I generally do this every now and then not only for fasting.   This Alu sabzi is good combo with plain paratha for lunch box, which we used to have. 

Recipe for Vratwale Aloo

Ingredients:

Boiled Potato - 4  [large]
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds/Dhaniya - 1 tbsp
Roasted Cumin Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Dry Mango Powder/Amchur - 2 tsp [or lemon juice 1 tbsp]
Water - 1-2 tbsp
Sendha Namak/Rock Salt - To taste

Method:

1. Boil, peel and chop potatoes. 
2. Dry roast coriander seeds and crust it in  mortar and pestle or mixer.


3. In a pan or wok heat oil and ghee, add cumin seeds and allow it to crack, now add crushed coriander seeds and mix.  Now add chopped potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.


4. Add chili powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, salt and mix everything well.

5. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp water and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve warm with singhara or kutu puri.

Recipe for Singhara Ki Puri

Ingredients:

Singhara Atta/Water Chestnut Flour - 1 Cup/100gms
Boiled Potato - 2 [medium size]
Green Chili Paste - 1 tsp
Sendha Namak - To Taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - As needed
Oil - To Deep Fry

Method:

1. Boil, peel and mash potatoes.
2. In a bowl add singhara flour, mashed potatoes, green chili paste, sendha namak,  1 tbsp oil &  mix everything.  Add water in small quantity and make a soft pitiable dough just like we do for poori and keep aside for 15 minutes.
~ Be careful with water as we are using potato, add only in small quantity


3. Divide the dough in equal parts and roll in to medium size puri.
There are 2 ways of doing it.
~ You can grease a ziplock bag or plastic sheet with oil and pat dough with hand to make poori.  Keep a bowl of water near and dip hands in intervals, it helps in patting easily.

~ Or, grease a plastic sheet/ziplock bag keep the dough keep another greased plastic sheet on top and now roll  gently using roller, remove top sheet and use a cookie cuter or any small bowl/katori to cut the puri into round shape, though cutting is optional if you have made decent round puri.  This process takes little time so I generally don’t cut but just directly roll the puri between sheets and fry. 

4. Heat oil in a wok, gently lift the puri from sheet and drop in hot oil. Gently press puri with laddle to puff it up.  Fry both sides until light golden brown.


Repeat same for rest. 


Serve hot with aloo sabji or aloo raita.  A fruit salad on side makes it a complete meal. 


 Variations ~

For Aloo Sabji
~ Replace red chili powder with 1/2 tsp of pepper powder if you don’t eat chili powder during fast and dry mango powder with lemon juice. 
~ Ghee enhance the taste so try not to skip it but you can replace it with oil.
For Singhara Puri
~ In dough you can add 1/2 tsp pepper powder and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro for extra flavor. 
~ You can do same puri with Kutu Atta/Buckwheat flour.
~ You can also make this as paratha instead of poori.
~ Prepare the dough only when you are ready to fry puris, other wise salt and potato will ooze water and make the dough soggy. 
~ If you are making this in large quantity, you can prepare the dough in small portions and fry puri to be on safer side, generally I don’t do that, I just make the dough one time.
~ All your puris may not puff, it’s normal so don’t worry about that 

Have a nice day ~~

Fruit Salad In Yogurt Dressing | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Fruits are essential part of fasting, in most of the fast fruits are allowed.  Eating fruits just plain can be boring some times so here comes a simple fruit salad in yogurt dressing.  The recipe is very quick, easy and taste good, actually it’s so easy lot of you may wonderful why I am posting this.  This fruit salad is good not only for vrat/fasting days but also for party or get-together, you will be amaze how this simple salad will be liked by all.  If you are not making this during fasting you can add table salt instead of sendha namak and also sprinkle little of chaat masala for that extra zing. 

Ingredients:

Apple - 1
Banana - 1
Grape - 1 Cup
Pomegranate Seeds - 1/2 Cup
Yogurt/Dahi - 1 Cup
Sugar - 2 tsp
Sendha Namak/Rock Salt - 1/4 tsp
 

Method:
1. Chop all the fruits and mix in a bowl. 
2. Add hung or thick curd, sugar and salt.
3. Mix well to coat all fruits well with curd, chill and serve.


Our super easy and quick salad is ready.  Make sure to have it chilled.



Variations
~ You any fruit of your choice
~ You can add dry fruits for garnishing.
~ Add more curd to make it as fruit raita

Have nice day ~~

Navratri Recipes | Vrat | Upwas Recipes

I am compiling all Navratri  recipes and Vrat/Upwas (Fasting) recipes here.  For Navratri 2014 vrat recipes collection click here. Navratri is 9 days of celebration worship of Durga (Shaki) in different avatars and Navratri celebrated in different forms across India.  In Northern and Western India fasting is observed during nine days of navratra.  So here collection of fasting (vrat/upvas) recipes and South Indian Navratri recipes so it would be easy for you to plan your meal specially during fasting.   Hope you find it useful.