The festive season is here and how! The nine-day festival Navratri is being celebrated with much enthusiasm across the country, and many devotees of Goddess Durga are also observing the ritualistic 9-day fast. This fasting, also known as Navratri fasting has an impressive rationale behind it too.
Both widely celebrated Navratris, i.e, the Sharad and the Chaitra Navratri fall around season change. As we slowly transition from hot summer days, to nippy winters, our body has a tough time adjusting to the same and thus, it is best to avoid indulgent, decadent food this time around the year. During Navratri fasting, people even give up wheat! So if you have been thinking of going gluten-free for while, maybe now is a good time to start?
Here are two delicious recipes from Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka and Taj Mahal, New Delhi. Try it soon and let us know how you like it.
Jowar Ki Kheer, Recipe by Executive Sous Chef Manoj Kumar – Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka
Ingredients:
- 150 gms jowar(pearl barley)
- 500 ml water
- 2 gms ground anise seed
- 20 gms cane sugar
- 20 gms raisins
- 375 ml milk
- 20 gms chopped toasted almond
- 1-2 strands saffron
Method:
- Combine barley, water, and anise in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed—fluff with a fork.
- Stir in Cane sugar, raisins and milk.
- Cook for another ten more minute over medium heat, stir continuously
- Adjust consistency, and switch off the heat.
- Pour into a dessert bowl.
- Sprinkle toasted almonds and saffron strands on top and serve warm.
Sweet Potato Chaat By Sous Chef Shyam Gupta- Taj Mahal New Delhi
Ingredients:
- 1.5 to 2 cups chopped boiled sweet potatoes.
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (kali mirch powder).
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as required.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- Rock salt or sendha namak as required
Method:
Boiling Sweet Potatoes (Shakarkandi).
- First of all, rinse 260 to 270 sweet potatoes very well in water.
- Then steam them in a pressure cooker or a pan. If cooking in a pressure cooker, then pressure cook for about 3 to 4 whistles with water just about covering the sweet potatoes.
Making Shakarkandi Ki Chaat:
- After the sweet potatoes are cooked well and when they become warm, then peel them lightly and chop them. Take them in a bowl.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) and rock salt (sendha namak). If making for regular days, then you can also add red chilli powder and chaat masala powder. Some roasted cumin powder can also be added. You can add the spice powders less or more as per your taste preferences.
- Then 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- Mix gently. Check the taste and add any of the spice powders or lemon juice if required.
- Serve shakarkandi ki chaat with Jaggery sauce.