Navratri fasting recipes: Phalahari Chilla, Aloo Puri and more

Navratri is upon us all and we are bringing you some popular fasting recipes sent in by Rashmi Sharma.

With Navratri, the festive season is in full swing. Nine nights of dancing and merriment goes hand-in-hand with intense fasting. Most people who fast give up on rice, wheat and dal and take to fruits and other snacks during this time. We bring you the recipes of some of the snacks cooked and served during Navratri season.

Phalahari Chilla

Ingredients:

• 125 gm singhara atta
• 300 ml water
• 1/2 tsps Jeera powder
• Green Chilli, Coriander Leaves, Rock Salt to taste

Method

• Mix the singhara atta with water.
• Cut the coriander leaves and green chilli into small, fine pieces.
• Add the coriander and chilli bits to the atta mix.
• Further add jeera powder and rock salt as per taste.
• Beat the batter until it is uniformly thin. Add more water if needed.
• Pre-heat the pan for about two to five minutes. When the surface of the pan is evenly heated, pour one spoonful of the batter onto it.
• Without spreading the mix over the pan, gently pour a bit of oil over the edges of the chilla.
• Cook each side until brown and flip.

Liked this recipe? Click here for more recipes and food features!

Reader Invite

Do you have an interesting fasting recipe for Navratri? Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Navratri recipes') with your name, hometown and any interesting details about the origin of the recipe, along with a photograph if possible. We'll publish the best preparations right here on Rediff.com.

Please click NEXT to continue reading...

Ingredients:

• 250 gm Potato
• 250 gm Singhada Atta
• 150-200 ml Water
• Ghee as per need (can be substituted with oil)
• Coriander, Rock Salt, Black Pepper, Green Chilli to taste

Method:

• Cut the potatoes into thin strips, much as one would when preparing potato wedges.
• Add water to singhada atta and beat the mixture until it gives a thin consistency. Add more water, if needed.
• Pre-heat ghee in a pan.
• Once the ghee becomes hot, dip the potato pieces in the singhada atta and add them to the hot ghee.
• Fry until they reach a golden-brown colour and crisp edges.

Please click NEXT to continue reading...

Part 1: Making the Aloo ki Sabzi

Ingredients:

• 600 gm Potato
• 1tsp Jeera, Coriander Seeds
• 1tsp Jeera Powder
• 1tsp Ghee/Oil
• Rock salt, red chilli powder to taste

Preparation:

• Dry roast the coriander seeds. Grind them in a mixer.
• Boil and peel potatoes before cutting them into cubes,
• Heat oil/ghee in a pan.
• Once the oil/ghee is hot enough, add the jeera.
• Upon hearing a series of snapping sounds from the heated jeera, add the grinded coriander seeds and stir.
• Once the above mix is well heated, add the potato pieces and stir them until they reach a golden-brown shade,
• Add red chilli powder and rock salt as per taste.

Ingredients: 

• 350-400 gm Potatoes 
• 125 gm Singhada Atta
• Oil, Water as required
• 7-10 pieces of green chillies
• Rock salt to taste

Preparation: 

• Grind the green chillies in a mixer and make a paste.
• Boil potatoes and peel before mashing them.
• Add singhada atta to mashed potatoes along with the green chilli paste, a bit of oil (approximately one tablespoon) and rock salt, as per taste.
• Mix all the ingredients.
• Add a bit of water and knead the ingredients together to make a soft lump of dough.
• Roll the dough into equally sized balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand.
• Proceed to run them over with a rolling pin, much as one would do to make chapattis.
• Heat a sizeable amount of oil in the pan.
• Once the oil is hot enough, drop a puri in the pan. Deep fry until puffy and golden-brown.

Please click NEXT to continue reading...

Ingredients:

• 200gm Sama ke Chawal (Samo Rice)
• 100gm Sugar (can be substituted with honey)
• 150 ml water
• 1tsp Cardamom Powder
• 4 cups milk
• Raisins, Saffron, Kaju as per taste

Method:

• Soak Sama ke Chawal in water for half an hour and then drain out the water.
• Boil milk.
• Add the drained Sama ke Chawal to the boiling milk.
• Heat until the mixture has turned into simmering kheer.
• Allow the kheer to cool down.
• Add a pinch of cardamom powder to the mixture.
• Add sugar/honey, raisins, kaju and saffron as per taste.

Tip: Kheer is best served cold.

Liked this recipe? Click here for more recipes and food features!

Reader Invite

Do you have an interesting fasting recipe for Navratri? Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Navratri recipes') with your name, hometown and any interesting details about the origin of the recipe, along with a photograph if possible. We'll publish the best preparations right here on Rediff.com.