The festive season is at its peak. After Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja, Karwa Chauth is here to amp up our celebrations. It is a pious occasion that is devoted to the beautiful bond of marriage. On this auspicious Hindu festival, married women observe a day-long fast and pray for the long life and prosperity of their spouse.
According to the Hindu calendar, Karwa Chauth falls on the fourth day of Kartik month and this year will be celebrated on November 1st. On this day, married women eat food early in the morning before sunrise (Sargi), and then abstaining from food or water till sunset. The fast is broken in the evening after the moon comes out, and then they enjoy a scrumptious dinner with the family.
If you are also celebrating Karwa Chauth this year, here is the full course dinner menu for you:
For Starters
Chilli Paneer
This popular dish is India’s top choice for a vegetarian starters' menu. Chilli paneer has all three versions; dry, semi dry and gravy. So, you can pick any one of the three options for your Karwa Chauth dinner. This Indo-Chinese delight is prepared by tossing crisp fried paneer in a sweet, spicy, hot and tangy chilli sauce.
Aloo Tikki
Aloo tikki is a delicious snack cum appetiser that is relished all over the country. Made with boiled potatoes, peas and spices like red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin seeds, it is best served with green chutney or ketchup. This crunchy and crispy delight can also be made in a vrat-friendly way without adding onion and garlic.
For Main Course
Palak Paneer
This is a simple, delicious and healthy Indian dish that is loved all over the world. Palak paneer is made with paneer and pureed spinach. It can be served with roti, naan as well as rice. The spices used for seasoning this dish are cumin, bay leaf, chilli powder, garam masala and kasuri methi.
Navratan Korma
This is a rich and luxurious dish that goes well for all kinds of celebrations. Made with mixed vegetables and a lot of dry fruits, it belongs to the Mughlai cuisine. Navratan korma is mildly spiced, slightly sweet and can be made within half an hour. It can be served with naan, roti, paratha and cumin rice.
Jeera Rice
This is a simple yet delicious rice dish that is perfect for every occasion. Made with very few ingredients like basmati rice (or any other rice), ghee, salt, oil and cumin seeds, it goes well with dal tadka or any other curry dish like palak paneer or chole. For the best results use long grain basmati rice.
Puri
Be it a wedding party or a simple family dinner at home, puris are always a part of our celebratory menu. They are a little crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. This deep-fried bread made with whole wheat flour is ideal for all three meals and can be served with any savoury curry or bhaji.
For Dessert
Moong Dal Halwa
This is a classic Indian sweet dish that is perfect for any celebratory occasion. Made with moong lentil, sugar, ghee and cardamom powder, it has a unique aroma and mouth melting taste. This rich and hearty dessert is very popular in the state of Rajasthan. You can also garnish this halwa with your favourite dry fruits.
Kheer
This iconic Indian pudding is an essential part of our festivities. Also known as payasam, it is traditionally made from milk, sugar (or jaggery) and rice along with your favourite dry fruits. Kheer is very easy to prepare and can also flavoured with cardamom and saffron.