Recipes for Navratri

Festivals in India are incomplete without delicious food, and Navratri is no exception. Navratri is a long festival, which is celebrated continuously for nine days. Therefore, a variety of dishes are made and served during this festival. The Indian cuisines are famous for their wide variety. Special Navratri cuisine is a part of the multitude of culinary delights of the country. Since, in most of the communities, people observe fast during Navratri and eat only one meal a day at sunset, the Navratri meal has special courses and is strictly vegetarian. Even onion and garlic are not allowed, due to their foul smell.

Specific ingredients and vegetables are used for preparing delicious recipes on Navratri. The choice of vegetables may vary from region to region. Spices are restricted to red chillies, turmeric and cumin seeds and only rock salt can be used. However, one can eat milk, curd, fruits and nuts. In our related section, we have given some of the recipes that you can try during Navratri. Great care has been taken to ensure that the ingredients being specified here are in consistency with the allowed spices for the fasts. Yet, as this also varies from region to region, special care should be taken from your side as well.

Aloo Khichdi
India is a land of festivals and festivals are incomplete without mouth watering dishes. Navratri is one of the festivals celebrated with a variety of dishes. As some people keep fast on this nine days festival, there are specific recipes which are made only with the ingredients used in the fast.

Boondi Ka Raita
Navratri is a festival that comprises of nine-days continuous fasting, so you need to take special care of your diet. You should include milk and milk products in your diet during the fasts. Curd is one of the best milk products you can have during this time. It is also believed that food is incomplete without curd.

Dal Stuffed Puri
In some communities, people undergo rigorous fasts during Navratri that lasts for all the nine days of the festival. The festival of Navratri culminates in Navami. On this day, Kanya Puja is performed. Nine young girls, representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga, are worshiped.

Gobhi Ke Sabzi
Bandh Gobhi (cauliflower) is a very famous vegetable and used in many dishes. You can cook it in various ways, by adding onion and garlic. However, since here we are specifically talking about the recipes for Navratri, we will not use onion and garlic, as they are not allowed during the festival.

Kaddu Ke Sabzi
Navratri is celebrated in a grand manner in places like Gujarat, Bengal, and other parts of North India. Apart from the puja, it also involves the observance of fast by devotees. Kaddu ki sabzi is one of the popular recipes prepared on Navratri. Liked by most of the people, it is perfect in case of Navratri fast

Kele Ke Kofte
Navratri is one of the most important festivals of India. It is celebrated with a wide variety of special dishes, with each region having its own specialty. Navratri meals are strictly vegetarian, with no onion and garlic. People observe fast during Navratri and eat only one meal a day, at sunset, which is devoid of grains.

Kottu Pakora
Kottu Pakora is made with buckwheat flour, which can be consumed during Navratri fasts. It is one of the tasty and easy-to-prepare recipes, enjoyed even by those who do not observe fast. And those who keep fast for the full nine days of Navratri surely do enjoy this delectable recipe.

Saboodana Vadaa
Navratri is famous for the special cuisines prepared as a part of the food for fasting. Saboodana vadaa is one of the recipes prepared during the vrats. A special snack made on the occasion of Navratri, the vadaas are very crispy and crunchy and melt in your mouth.

Singhara Ke Burfee
Singhara flour is an ingredient that is commonly used for making dishes during Navratri fasts. You can prepare many mouth watering dishes with singhara flour, such as poori, pakori and burfi. Singhara burfi is a sweet dish that you can enjoy with other meals of Navratri.

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