Navratri 2023 is that festival of the year which brings out the festive spirit in almost all Indians, no matter what their regional background may be. From dancing the Garba to engaging in Dhunuchi Naach, the expressions of joy take many forms during Navratri. One of the central features of Navratri 2023 is the vrat or fast that many people across the country keep, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up with the perfect recommendation for it.
As you might already know, the Navratri 2023 fast or vrat is supposed to be sattvik and vegetarian. Many food items that make up the regular kitchen pantry of Indians, like rice, wheat, spices and pulses, are not allowed for consumption during this time. Instead, the focus is on sattvik ingredients like fresh fruits, seasonal vegetables and select grains like millets, sago, etc.
Video Credit: YouTube/Kunal Kapur
Keeping this and the fact that 2023 is the International Year of Millets, the FSSAI has recently shared a descriptive recipe for Kuttu Beetroot Tikki on its Instagram. While the FSSAI doesn’t specifically mention Navratri or any vrat in the post, a closer look at all the ingredients used in the Kuttu Beetroot Tikki clearly indicates that it is in fact perfectly suited for the Navratri vrat and can be consumed safely by people keeping this fast.
The ingredients used in this recipe for Kuttu Beetroot Tikki by the FSSAI include buckwheat flour, beetroots, oil, peanuts, jeera or cumin seeds, green chillies, ginger, chaat masala, black pepper and salt. Replace the oil with ghee, remove the chaat masala and use sendha namak or rock salt instead of regular iodised salt, and viola, you have the perfect dish to snack on while keeping the Navratri 2023 fast. Low in calories (just 164 kcals) and yet packed with 5 grams of protein and 21 grams of healthy carbs, this Kuttu Beetroot Tikki is a must-have on any other day too.
Wondering how to make a Kuttu Beetroot Tikki for your Navratri fast? Here’s a recipe you can try out.
Ingredients:
2 cups beetroot, boiled
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp black pepper powder
½ tsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Rock salt, to taste
Ghee, to fry
Method:
1. Place the boiled beets in a large bowl and mash them up until no lumps remain.
2. Now add the buckwheat flour, peanuts, cumin seeds, green chillies, black pepper, ginger, coriander leaves and salt.
3. Mix well to form a soft dough, then divide it into equal parts and shape into flat discs.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and shallow-fry the tikkis until golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with yoghurt.