Everything about Navratri festival you need to know everything- Erakina

Introduction to festival delicacies

• Festive delicacies are always in the limelight. But, have you heard of the delicacies that can be consumed during a fast?
• Yes, that’s right. The delicacies that can be enjoyed during a fast!
• The festival delicacies of Navratri celebrates the exuberance of the divine for nine consecutive days. Certain ingredients like onion and garlic are avoided but do you know what’s allowed?
• Well, there is a long list of what’s allowed. But here is a short insight that will throw some light on the food that can be enjoyed. 

close-up of the thali of Navratri

The satvik food

• Certain veggies can be savored during Navratri fast. They are called satvik veggies. These veggies include potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, raw banana, bitter gourd, tomatoes, lemon, yam, and carrots while sabudana, buckwheat flour, sendha namak.
• water chestnut flour form the prime ingredients of the food consumed during Navratri fast. 

close-up of satvik vegetables on a banana leaf

• These veggies and ingredients form the base of delicacies that can be enjoyed during the fast. They can be cooked in several ways and are responsible for innovations that contribute to the taste of the foodies during a fast.(delicacies)

Sabudana – the vrat staple

 close-up of sabudana

• The light snack is a quick energy booster, an ideal breakfast option for the vrat period. The starchy snack is full of carbohydrates and does not contain any vitamins or minerals. It is therefore converted into savory dishes or consumed with milk.
• Apart from being soft and chewy in texture, the snack aids digestion. It is never consumed by itself. 

close-up of Sabudana khichdi(delicacies)

• There have been innovations keeping sabudana as the base ingredient. Sabudana kheer, sabudana khichdi, and sabudana payasam are a few of them while the snack can be used to make chips, papads,vadas, and puddings. smoothies, and soups.
• Sweet potato and sago rolls serve as wholesome food. Sabudana thalipeeth is another wonderful innovation that adds more to the taste of sabudana.
• Sabudana is preferred as vrat ka khana as it is not grown directly. Starch is extracted from sago plants and processed to make sabudana. Therefore, it is considered a pure extract and referred to as vrat ka khana.

The buckwheat flour

• Buckwheat flour or kuttu ka atta, as we call it, is made from the seeds of fruits. It is gluten-free and rich in fiber, proteins, and calcium. This flour is called pseudo-cereal and holds more protein than wheat and rice.
• Being gluten-free, the flour can be relished as parathas, pakoras, and puris during Navratri fast. Kuttu ka dosa is another dish that could add more to the menu.

Sendha namak

close-up of sendha namak

• The unprocessed salt adds flavor and health. Unlike other salts, it doesn’t heal the body.
• It is low in sodium and high in potassium and is, therefore, an excellent energy booster that maintains the electrolytic balance in the body and aids digestion. The salt improves the absorption rate of essential nutrients from food.

Singhare ka atta – the flour of water chestnut

• Water chestnuts do not have cholesterol and are laced with essential nutrients and vitamins. The flour is thus an excellent source of good carbohydrates and energy-boosting nutrients like iron, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus.
• Samosas made with the flour of water chestnut can be relished during Navratri.(delicacies)

close-up of banana walnut lassi

• Other delicacies include aloo ki kadhi, makhana kheer, banana walnut lassi,arbi kofta mint yogurt dip,chawal ka dhokla, kebab ka Kela,sonth ki chutney, and paneer rolls.(delicacies)

 close-up of makhana kheer

• Fasting for nine consecutive days often causes dehydration and fatigue. A few health add-ons like turmeric, avocado, nuts, yogurt, and beet juice could help with the same.(delicacies)

also read this about spices and herbs allowed on navratri

Pooja Kumari Sha

21/03/22