Seven Kitchen Pantry Staples That Turn Into

Vrat Food

Heroes During Navratri

With the arrival of Navratri, kitchens in India gear up for the occasion. You do not even have to go grocery shopping to keep pace. There are plenty of items that you have at home anyway, which double up as Navratri vrat food. Seven such items have been covered in this guide. Why are these items a part of Navratri food? How are they consumed in households? The answer lies below, and it includes numerous vrat recipes.

These are the highly sustaining proteins for the vrat recipes. When roasted, crushed, and then mixed with other foods, they not only add flavour but also make sure that you will have enough energy, as research published on PubMed shows that 100 grams of peanuts contain about 25 grams of protein. Being a legume, they are commonly accepted on vrat days, although it depends upon the families. The Maharashtrians prepare their daanyacha kut using these nuts, whereas Gujaratis and North Indians put them into their potato dishes, chutney and curd.

Sendha namak is the salt which comes to light when table salt takes a step back. This salt is known as rock salt and is excavated from salt mines, for example, the salt mines of Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, Pakistan, it is a traditional staple in vrat recipes. Aashirvaad Himalayan Pink Salt is a fitting addition to this tradition, bringing the goodness of rock salt to your festive fasting preparations. While traditionally valued for its purity, it remains a form of sodium chloride and should be consumed in moderation.

Fast recipes do not include wheat and rice, and there are only four types of food that make up the majority of vrat dishes. Kuttu atta is made from buckwheat seeds and can be used to prepare puris and pakoras. Singhare ka atta is prepared from water chestnuts and can be used to prepare rotis and halwa. Rajgira atta is made from amaranth and is rich in protein and calcium. Finally, Samak rice, also called barnyard millet, is a substitute for rice. One safety note, last year: buckwheat flour has caused food poisoning during Navratri when stale, so buy fresh from trusted sellers, store it airtight and use it quickly.

Sabudana or sago is made up of tapioca (cassava) flour rather than a grain. Salem in Tamil Nadu is the largest centre of production of sabudana in India. Originally a South American plant, the use of cassava spread to Kerala during the 19th century. Soak the pearls in water until they soften before cooking. In addition to the sabudana khichdi recipe, you can make a crispy vada recipe, a sun-dried sabudana papad recipe and a rich sabudana kheer recipe. It is primarily carbohydrates, so it should be served with peanuts or curd.

Makhana, commonly known as fox nuts or gorgon nuts, refers to the popped seeds of the prickly water lily plant called Euryale ferox. The Mithila region of Bihar is responsible for producing the majority of the country's makhana. Mithila Makhana got a GI certification in 2022. They are light, crunchy, and low in fat; thus, people use them during fasts. You can simply dry roast them in ghee and season with sendha namak and pepper for an instant makhana recipe snack.

Spices are kept to a minimum in vrat cooking, although there is variation based on individual and regional practices. Popular spices include cumin, black pepper, green chillies, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, often combined with sendha namak. Most people omit the use of turmeric, asafoetida, mustard seeds, and garam masala, with almost all of them avoiding onions and garlic. Black pepper has its origin in the Malabar Coast of Kerala, and cumin, with its warming flavour, is what characterises aloo jeera.

Potatoes are the most reliable sources of carbohydrates during fasts. Originally from the Andes, they came to India in the beginning of the 1600s via Portuguese traders and are now available throughout India. Potatoes, cooked in boiling water, roasted or lightly fried, give an immediate boost of energy along with potassium and vitamin C. Many dishes like aloo jeera, tikki, chaat and sabudana khichdi are made with them. Among all fast recipes, nothing can be easier than potatoes cooked with sendha namak, black pepper and lemon juice.