Best Navratri Recipes to Satisfy Your Palate

Indian festivals hold a different place in our hearts. Be it Diwali, Holi, or the nine-night celebrations of Navratri. Filled with folk music, hearty dances, and exquisite food, these nine nights are beyond the ordinary in the Indian festive calendar. 

Dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Durga, Navratri boasts a special fasting ritual that allows for only a select palate to eat from, avoiding grains, certain vegetables and spices. However, fasting doesn’t mean compromising on taste or nutrition. There’s an entire variety of delicious recipes to choose from that help keep your energy levels high for the high-adrenaline dances in Navratri. 

Let’s explore some recipes of the best Navratri vegetarian dishes in this blog. Whether you’re looking for Navratri food recipes for all nine days or simply want to explore some light and healthy options, this guide will cover it all.

What are the ingredients you can eat during Navratri fasting?

Before diving into the recipes, let’s quickly look at some of the ingredients commonly allowed during Navratri:

• Flours: Buckwheat flour (kuttu), water chestnut flour (singhara), amaranth flour (rajgira)
• Grains: Sama rice (barnyard millet), sabudana (tapioca pearls), quinoa
• Vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bottle gourd, spinach
• Fruits: Bananas, apples, pomegranate, berries
• Dairy: Milk, yoghurt, paneer
• Spices: Rock salt (sendha namak), cumin, black pepper, green chilli, cardamom

Try MaSpices Best Pav bhaji Masala

Best Dishes for Navratri (Vegetarian)

Let’s look at a list of the best Navratri recipes for 9 days- 

Sabudana Khichdi

One of the most popular Navratri food recipes, Sabudana Khichdi is light, filling, and packed with flavours.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sabudana (soaked for 3-4 hours)
• 1 medium-sized potato (boiled and cubed)
• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts (coarsely ground)
• Rock salt (sendha namak) to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, and allow them to splutter.
2. Add green chillies and sauté for a minute.
3. Add the boiled potatoes and stir-fry for a few minutes.
4. Add soaked sabudana and salt, and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sabudana becomes translucent.
5. Mix in the ground peanuts and cook for another minute.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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Kuttu Ke Pakode (Buckwheat Flour Fritters)

Perfect as an evening snack during Navratri, Kuttu ke Pakode are crispy, light, and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta)
• 1 large potato (grated)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 green chili (chopped)
• Rock salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix buckwheat flour, grated potato, cumin seeds, green chili, and rock salt. Add water gradually to make a thick batter.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan.
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve with yoghurt or mint chutney.

Sama Rice (Barnyard Millet) Pulao

Light and nutritious, Sama Rice Pulao is a great grain alternative for fasting days.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sama rice (soaked for 30 minutes)
• 1 medium potato (cubed)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-2 green chilies (slit)
• Rock salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds from Ma’Spices.
2. Sauté green chilies, potatoes, and carrots for a few minutes.
3. Add soaked sama rice, stir well, and cook with 2 cups of water until the rice is done.
4. Garnish with coriander and serve with curd spiced up with Ma’Spices Special Chat Masala.

Vratwale Aloo (Fried Potatoes)

Vratwale Aloo is a simple yet flavourful dish made with fried potatoes, a staple during Navratri.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium potatoes (boiled and cubed)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 green chilli (chopped)
• Rock salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
2. Add green chili and stir for a few seconds.
3. Add the boiled potatoes and sauté for 5-6 minutes until lightly golden.
4. Add salt and black pepper powder, mix well, and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with vrat ki puri or yoghurt.

Read More on 10 Easy Healthy Snacks to Make In 5 Minutes

Paneer Tikka

Ma’Spices Paneer Tikka Masala is the star ingredient in this dish, making it perfect for a Navratri gathering. Marinated paneer cubes are grilled to perfection and served with mint chutney.

Ingredients:

• 250g paneer (cubed)
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp Ma’Spices Paneer Tikka Masala
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Ma’Spices Paneer Tikka Masala, lemon juice, salt, and oil.
2. Add paneer cubes to the marinade, coating them evenly. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
3. Thread the marinated paneer onto skewers and grill on a stovetop or oven until slightly charred.
4. Serve hot with green chutney and lemon wedges.

Chole (Chickpea Curry)

This dish can be eaten to break the fast on the ninth day of Navratri (or Navami). Ma’Spices Chole Masala adds depth and richness to the chickpea curry. It is also one of the popular Navratri recipes for weight loss.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (pureed)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Ma’Spices Chole Masala
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander for garnish

Instructions:

1. Boil the soaked chickpeas until tender.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add onions and cook until golden brown, then add ginger-garlic paste.
4. Stir in the tomato puree and Ma’Spices Chole Masala. Let it cook for 10 minutes until the oil separates.
5. Add the boiled chickpeas to the gravy and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with bhature or steamed rice.

We hope that these recipes add a zesty twist to your Navratri celebrations this year. With Ma’Spices, your festivities will never go without a tasty masledaar twist. Discover the finest collection of Veg Masalas with Maspices, Gujarat’s trusted spice brand. Spice up your meals today – order now for authentic flavors!”