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Navratri is a Hindu festival of worship and
dance. The word Navratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit;
Nava - Nine and Ratri - nights. During these nine nights and ten
days, nine forms of Shakti (metaphor for goddess Durga ) i.e. female
divinity are worshipped.
The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year,
specially in Gujarat, where traditionally, either the lamp (the
Garba Deep), or an image of Maa Amba is placed in the middle of the
concentric rings as an object of veneration, thereby delineating the
dance. People dance around the deity clapping rhythmically. At every
step they gracefully bend sideways, the arms coming together in
sweeping gestures, up and down, left and right, each movement ending
in clap.
For more information
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# Arbi Fried
# Banana Chips
# Kottu Ke Pakore
# Farari Chiwda
# Kache Kele Ke Kofte
# Kaddu Ki Sabji (Pumpkin Curry)
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# Khuskhus Aloo
# Navratri Raita
# Panchamritham
# PeaNut Curd Chutney
# Rajgiri Puris
# Sabudana Vada
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Arbi Fried |
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Preparation Time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Mango Powder – a pinch
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Coriander Powder – ¼ tsp
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Ginger – 2 tbsp
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Rock Salt - to taste
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Method : |
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Boil the arbi.
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Cool, take off and slice each into two.
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Heat up the oil and fry the arbi till slightly
browned.
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Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok.
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Meanwhile make a paste of ginger and green
chilies.
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Mix in the paste to the heated oil and stir fry
for a few minutes.
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Mix in the fried arbi and stir fry on a slow
fire.
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Simultaneously mix in salt, coriander powder,
mango powder, carom seeds and mix well.
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Banana Chips |
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Preparation Time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Salt - to taste
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Oil - for deep frying
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Method : |
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Peel off and put bananas in plenty of salted
iced water.
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Slice bananas with a chip slicer into water,
mix in turmeric.
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Keep for 10 minutes, and strain.
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Spread out on a kitchen cloth to take off
moisture.
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Heat up oil in a wok till smoky.
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Fry banana slices in one-layer batches for a
minute or two or until crisp.
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Lift chips out with slotted spoon and remove on
paper towels
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Sprinkle with salt before serving.
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Kottu Ke Pakore |
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Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Buckwheat flour (kotu ka atta) – 1 cup
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Potatoes (boiled whole till half-cooked) – 3
medium sized
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Black Pepper Powder – ½ tsp
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Method : |
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Combine the flour, salt, pepper and coriander
in bowl and mix well.
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Add water and beat into a smooth batter. Beat
the batter until it is of cream consistency.
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Cover and keep aside for about 20 minutes.
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When the potatoes are cool enough, peel and
slice each one into diagonal slices.
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Heat enough ghee or oil for deep-frying in a
kadhai over moderate heat.
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Put few slices of potato into the batter and
cover them completely.
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One at a time, lower each slice of
batter-coated potato into the hot oil.
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Fry as many slices as will float on the surface
of the oil without touching.
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Fry on both sides until reddish gray and crisp.
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Serve hot as the fitters soften as they cool.
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Note:
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Keep an eye on the consistency of batter, it
quickly thickens near heat. You may need to add water from time to
time.
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Farari Chiwda |
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Preparation Time : 35 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Groundnuts – 1 tbsp
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Broken Cashews – 1 tbsp
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Oil - for deep-frying
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Method : |
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In a frying pan, heat oil.

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Fry potato straws till crisp. Fry few straws at
a time.
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Drain the straws with a perforated spoon.
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Transfer them to an absorbent paper.
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Deep-fry cashews and groundnuts till crispy.
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Drain and add to potato straws.
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Sauté raisins and chili. Drain and add to
straws.
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Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
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Add salt and sugar. Toss to blend.
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Cool and store in an airtight container.
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Kache Kele Ke Kofte |
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Preparation Time : 45 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Method : |
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Boil and peel raw bananas and mash them.
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Add rest of the ingredients and make balls and
deep fry.
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Heat oil for the gravy, add cloves, bay leaf,
cumin, asafoetida, ginger and green chili, beaten curd, turmeric,
garam masala powder, red chili powder and water to adjust the
consistency.
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Adjust the seasoning.
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Add the koftas, simmer for a few minutes before
serving.
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Garnish with chopped coriander.
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Kaddu Ki Sabji (Pumpkin Curry) |
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Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Red/Yellow Pumpkin, peeled and cubed – ¾ kg
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Red Chilies, broken in pieces - 3
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Cumin Seeds/ Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
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Oil – 3 tbsp
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Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
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Sugar – 1 tbsp
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Salt - to taste
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Method : |
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Heat oil, add mustard and cumin seeds, red
chilies and turmeric powder.
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Add the pumpkin pieces and stir-fry.
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Add ½ cup water, sugar and salt.
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Cook till done.
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Khuskhus Aloo |
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Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Potatoes, peeled, cubed - 6
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Poppy Seeds (Khuskhus) Roasted – 2tbsp
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Green Chilies – 3
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Coriander Leaves – a bunch
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Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
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Salt - to taste
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Dry Red Chilies - 3
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Oil – 3 tbsp
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Water – ½ cup
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Method : |
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Grind the roasted poppy seeds along with the
green chilies and a few tbsp of water to a make a very fine paste.
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Keep aside.
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Heat half of the oil in a pan on high flame for
2 minute or till very hot.
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Shallow fry the potatoes in batches on medium
heat until they are lightly browned.
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Heat up the remaining oil in the same pan.
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Mix in the whole dry red chilies and turmeric
powder.
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Fry briefly.
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Now mix in the poppy seed paste and fry again
on low flame for 5 minutes till the oil starts separating.
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Mix in the fried potatoes and mix well.
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Mix in water and salt.
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Stir, cover and cook on low flame for 15
minutes until the potatoes are soft.
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Decorate with cut fresh coriander.
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Serve hot.
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Navratri Raita |
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Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Boiled and Chopped Water chestnuts - 5
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Boiled and Chopped Potato -1
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Whole Roasted Peanuts – 1 tbsp
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Boiled and Chopped Sweet Potato - 1
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Finely Chopped Coriander - 1 tbsp
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Small Green Chili – 1
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Method : |
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Beat the yogurt in a deep bowl.
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Add sugar, chopped chili, cumin powder and
salt. Mix well.
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Add all vegetables and peanuts. Mix well.
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Chill the mixture.
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Heat 1 tsp oil in a crucible.
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Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
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Pour over the raita immediately.
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Garnish the raita with chopped coriander
leaves.
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Panchamritham |
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Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2
Ingredients : |
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Ghee – 1 tsp
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Sugar – 3 tsp
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Basil (Tulsi) leaves - 5
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Method : |
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Combine together curds, ghee, milk and sugar.
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Add finally chopped banana and basil.
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Refrigerate the mixture before serving.
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Panchamritham is ready. Serve it in tiny bowls.
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PeaNut Curd Chutney |
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Preparation Time : 35 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients : |
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Fresh Curds – 1 cup
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Peanuts, crushed – 1 tbsp
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Green Chili, finely chopped- 1
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Coriander, finely chopped – 1 tbsp
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Curry Leaves - 1 stalk
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Sugar, powdered – ½ tsp
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Oil – 1 tsp
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Salt to taste
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Method : |
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Beat curds till smooth.
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Add peanut, chili, coriander, salt and sugar.
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Heat oil in a small pan, add the curry leaves
and allow them to splutter.
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Add to curds, while spluttering.
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Stir to mix well.
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Refrigerate till required.
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Serve with sabodana wadas, rajgiri puris, etc
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Rajgiri Puris |
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Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 6
Ingredients : |
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Method : |
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Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

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Add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.
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Heat oil for frying in a frying pan.
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Divide dough into 12 portions.
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Roll into 4” rounds.
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Let 2 into hot oil, gently puff by pressing
with back of a perforated spoon.
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When light golden, flip carefully, to fry other
side.
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Drain, place on absorbent paper.
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Serve hot and puffed with potato sabzi or
curds.
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Sabudana Vada |
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Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3
Ingredients : |
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Method : |
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Wash sago thoroughly and drain excess water.
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Soak it for 2-3 hours.
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Add all ingredients to it except oil.
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Mix well into a paste.
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Keep the oil in a deep frying pan to heat.
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Moist hands and make small flat balls.
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Slide the balls in the heated oil on medium
flame.
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Fry till they are crisp and light brown in
color.
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Drain them well using a perforated ladle.
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Makes about 10 vadas.
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Serve with peanut chutney.
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