New Delhi: The nine-day Hindu festival of Chaitra Navratri is observed all over the nation. The nine-day Chaitra Navratri celebration will take place this year from March 22 through March 30, when devotees fast and pray to Goddess Durga. In addition to purifying the soul as well as the body, fasting during Navratri is believed to foster prosperity and good health.
Fasting, however, can be difficult, particularly for those who are accustomed to having regular meals. Planning and preparing healthy, nourishing meals that give the body the required energy and nutrients will make fasting easier and more enjoyable. Here are some vrat-friendly recipes that you can try during Navratri:
1. Banana Walnut Lassi:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup low-fat yoghurt
- 1/2 banana
- 3-4 walnuts
- 1 tsp seeds (a mixture of flax and sesame seeds)
- 1-2 tsp honey
Preparation:
- Blend together yoghurt, whey powder, flax seed, sesame seeds, walnuts, honey and bananas until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Pour it into a glass and garnish with chopped walnuts and sesame seeds.
2. Sabudana Kheer
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sabudana
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 litre milk
- 4 pods of green cardamom
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 10-12 cashew nuts and almonds for garnishing
Preparation:
- Soak the sabudana in hot water for 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, add milk, pods of cardamom and sugar to it. Microwave 2 minutes.
- Remove the milk mixture and add the soaked sabudana and ghee and heat for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the bowl, then add cashews and almonds to the Kheer.
- You can serve it hot or else you can let the mixture cool down at room temperature. Enjoy.
3. Singhara Sheera:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup singhara flour
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Preparation:
- To make singhara sheera, heat some ghee in a broad non-stick pan, and add the water chestnut flour to it.
- Cook on a low flame for 4 minutes or till it turns light brown. Keep stirring continuously.
- Add 2 cups of warm water, mix well and cook on a low flame until all the water has been absorbed and keep stirring continuously.
- Then, add the sugar, mix well and cook on a low flame for another 4 minutes.
- Switch off the flame, add the cardamom powder and mix well.
- Your dish is ready to be served.
