Chaitra Navratri 2021 has started today, April 13, 2021 and devotees are ready to celebrate the festivities at home. Given the rising coronavirus cases, we are limited to private households. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot you can do! Chaitra Navratri is a nine day festival where people worship the goddess Durga and her nine incarnations. One of the best ways to celebrate a festival is by indulging in food. Navratri is known for its delicious vrat-friendly dishes.
One of the most important rituals of Navratri is the observation of Vrat (or fasting) during the nine-day period. While many Hindus refrain from eating non-vegetarian food, drinking alcohol, and opting for light sattvik food, which helps cleanse our digestive systems. According to various health experts, the navratri season is the perfect time to detox our bodies from heavy foods. According to nutritionist Rupali Datta, this is the perfect time to give our bodies a break from the normal, heavy foods we eat and switch to a sattvige diet for 9 days. This helps our bodies rejuvenate and prepare for the next extreme season. “Navratri food is super healthy because of the ingredients that are used in cooking. She goes on to state that it points to certain vegetables, nuts, milk and dairy products, and so on.
(Also Read: 10 Navratri Specialty Foods To Enjoy While Watching Navratri Vrat (Fasting))
If you also keep Navratri fasts, we have a perfect menu for you with interesting vrat-friendly recipes.
Here is a healthy Navratri meal plan with 15 delicious Vrat-friendly recipes:
1. Breakfast
– Shakarkandi Chaat
Start your day with high protein Shakarkandi Ki Chaat! Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of nutrients like minerals, vitamins, and fiber that help keep our energy levels high during Lent. Drizzle with a pinch of rock salt and lemon for a tempting morning meal!
– Sabudana Vada
Crunchy, soft and healthy, these west-friendly vadas are perfect for breakfast. Just replace your regular salt with rock salt and you can have a stock-friendly meal. You can find the full recipe here.
– Kuttu Cheela
Made from buckwheat flour, this cheela is not only tasty but also packed with healthy nutrition as buckwheat is a superfood that is a treasure trove of nutrients and good carbohydrates. Simple, tasty and stock-friendly! You can find the full recipe here.
2. Lunch
– Sabudana Khichdi
Vrat or no vrat, khichdi is never a bad option. Do not you agree? It’s easy, calming, simple, and versatile enough to experiment as much as possible. This vrat-friendly khichdi with sabudana is just one example of how khichdi can be made with many different ingredients! Click here for the recipe.
– Vratwale Aloo Rasedaar
Aloo is perhaps one of the most common ingredients in Indian households. And Aloo Ki Sabzi with Puris is one of the most popular. This stock-friendly Aloo Rasedaar made from rock salt without onions and garlic is an ideal lunch! You can find the full recipe here.
– Kuttu Atta Puri
Combine your Aloo Ki Sabzi with these crispy Puris from Kuttu Puris! Kuttu does not come from grain and can therefore be eaten during the Navratri fast. You can also combine these puris with quark! Click here for the recipe.
3. Evening snacks
– Vrat Wala Dhokla
Lighter, softer, and spongy dhoklas are a weakness, aren’t they? And these vrat-friendly dhoklas made with Samvat Ke Chawal are here to make your vrat meals even better. You can find the full recipe here.
– Paneer Rolls
Satisfy your evening hunger with these crunchy, tasty vrat-friendly paneer rolls! Made with Sendha Namak and a handful of spices along with high protein paneer, these buns are a perfect snack. Click here for the full recipe.
– Toasted Makhana
Foxnuts or Makhana are one of the most common foods during Lent, especially since you can make countless delicacies with just Makhanas! But did you know that simple, roasted makhanas taste heavenly with just a pinch of rock salt?
4. Dinner
– Aloo Ki Kadhi
Potato is a vegetable that is allowed during the Navratri fast, and Aloo Ki Kadhi is a dish that we can eat literally all year round! Singhare ka aata potato pakoris, deep-fried and cooked into a delicious yogurt-based sauce, we just can’t resist. You can find the full recipe here.
– Samak Dosa
Regular rice is a no-no during fasting and this is when samak ke chawal / vratwale chawal come to the rescue. Mixing Samak Ke Chawal and Singhare Ka Aata, this simple dosa recipe has a potato and spice filling that makes for a healthy and delicious stock-friendly meal. Click here for the full recipe.
– Paneer Bhurji
Give your favorite paneer bhurji a special Navratri spin with this onion and garlic free recipe! All you need is to replace salt with rock salt and you have a delicious recipe to enjoy. Match with kuttu ki puris! You can find the full recipe here.
5. Dessert
– Sabudana Kheer
Who doesn’t love a bowl of kheer during the festivities? Even when you’re fasting, you can still satisfy your share of sweet cravings with this vrat-friendly kheer! Made from tapioca pearls, flavored with a hint of cardamom and saffron and topped with some crispy nuts, this kheer is an absolute delight! Click here for the recipe.
– Singhare Atte Ka Halwa
Singhara atta (water chestnut flour) is another very common ingredient during Navratri. This halva is a decadent mix of singhara atta, sugar, ghee, and nuts that will make you drool. You can find the full recipe here.
– Lauki & Kele Ki Kheer
Another delicious Kheer recipe made with the goodness of bottle gourd and banana! Grated lauki and banana cooked with chunky cashews, milk and khoya make for a delicious treat that you can never say no to. Click here for the full recipe.
Try these vrat-friendly recipes to keep your fill during the 9 day festival and let us know your experience in the comments section below.
About Aanchal MathurAanchal does not share food. A cake near you is sure to disappear in a record time of 10 seconds. Besides sugar loading, she loves to pester FRIENDS with a plate of momos. Most likely, she’ll find her soulmate in a food app.
