Many devotees do fast for all nine days of Navratri and switch to vrat food. Some people regard vrat food as less flavored ones however I must say nothing could be further from the truth! In reality vrat food can be very delicious and is relished by non fast keepers equally well. I do not keep fast for nine days but I celebrate it to the fullest and enjoy all the falahari meals. So people, to add extra flavor to the vrat food, nikkieskitchen is coming up with nine delicious recipes for navratri! Here you’ll find a compiled list of fasting recipes that are made during the navratri season and I am going  to start by posting one of them today. Keep in mind in India fasting rules vary from family to family so its always better to check with your elders before deciding the menu. Once again, these recipes are not only for those keeping upvas or fast, non-fasting ones enjoy the feasts equally and sometimes even more. 😛

Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India. Devotees worship the different avatars of Goddess Durga for nine days. This festival marks the battle between good and evil, with the forces of good triumphing in the end. It is also the festival for feasting with your loved ones and the aroma of pure desi ghee delicacies fill up the space.

Health perk: Sabudana (TAPIOCA PEARL) Loaded with good quality starch and carbohydrates, Sabudana acts as the instant energy booster during these fasts.

Cuisine: Indian Maharastrian Course: Falahari/Navratri food/snacks  Preparation time : 5 hrs   Cook time: 10 min  Serving: 3-4

INGREDIENTS AND INITIAL PREPARATION FOR 2-3 SERVINGS :

Below are the required quantities for all the ingredients for 2-3 servings:-

• 2 cup or 200 gm sabudana (soaked)
• 2 potatoes (boiled)
• 3-4 strands coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1-2 chopped green chillies
• Sendha namak (Rock salt), to taste
• Black pepper, to sprinkle 
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds and powder
• 1 tsp grated or finely chopped ginger
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Oil to fry

RECIPE IN A NUTSHELL:

Soak the sabudana in water for 4-5 hours at least or overnight for smoothness in pearl. Drain the water completely with the help of sieve and set aside. Boil the potatoes and mash them well in a mixing bowl. In the same mixing bowl, add soaked and drained sabudana, chopped green chilly, oil or ghee, rock salt, grated ginger, lemon juice, black pepper, coriander leaves (quantity as discussed above). Mix all ingredient very well. Take some portion from the mixture and make flat round vada tikkis, apply some oil on your palm while making the vada. Prepare all vadas this way. Heat oil in any pan or kadai over medium flame, place the vadas in a pan and deep fry on medium flame till they turn golden brown in color from both sides. Place it out on kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil and serve with yogurt or green chutney.

STEP BY STEP RECIPE WITH PHOTOS:-

1. Soak the sabudana for 4-5 hours or more depending upon its smoothness. Drain and wash it nicely. Keep aside in the sieve (so that water leaves it completely)
   

   

   

2. Boil, peel and mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl without any lumps. Add soaked and drained sabudana, chopped green chilly, rock salt, cumin seeds and powder, sprinkle black pepper, spoon of oil or ghee, grated ginger, lemon juice, coriander leaves. Mix everything well.
   

   
   

   

   

   
3. Make 7-8 flat round vadas, you can apply some oil on your palm while making the vada. You may add buckwheat flour (kutu aata) to remove access moisture, if any-it also helps in binding the vadas well.
   

   
4. Put oil in a kadai or pan for deep frying. On medium flame, dip the vadas and fry them till become golden brown in color. Flip them only when the bottom side of vadas becomes crispy and golden in color. (caution: do not flip before that, it may break)
   

   
5. Take out the vada on paper towels to remove the excess oil and serve it with yogurt or green chutney.

Happy Navarati!! 🙂

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• You may use regular salt if you are not fasting.
• Tapioca Pearl or Sabudana will be available in any Indian or chinese store 
• Sabudana should be soft, if you find hardness even after 4-5 hours soak it further for additional one hour.
• Avoid moisture in the mixture by draining the soaked pearl completely. Moisture makes it soggy. Add buckwheat flour (kutu aata) to remove access moisture, if any.
• Sendha namak, also known as rock salt is used with fasting food. Rock salt is the purest form of salt – unprocessed and raw, devoid of environmental pollutants and chemical components.