Mahashivratri is one of the biggest festivals celebrated across the country with great pomp and fervour. As per traditions, devotees wake up early in the morning and reach Shiva temples in large number. They offer milk, bhang, dhatura, etc. to Lord Shiva and worship for health, wealth, happiness and prosperity. Just like every other fast, the Mahashivratri fast also has a set of rules. One of the rules includes not eating table salt but eating rock salt during the fast. But why is it so? Don’t worry! We will tell you!
We have heard from our elders and seen our mother refraining the use of table salt during the Mahashivratri fast and using rock salt or sendha namak instead. We cannot deny that salt is a very essential part of any meal and imagining having food with salt is not possible. During fasts, consumption of table salt is not allowed because it doesn’t stay in its pure form because of going through artificial and chemical-based processing whereas rock salt remains to be the purest form of salt.
Another reason behind eating rock salt or sendha namak and not table salt during the fast is that the former is lighter in nature as compared to its other counterpart. Not just it makes the food light but also benefits because of its cooling properties. Rock salt has high content of potassium and low content of sodium and this, makes it a perfect element for maintaining electrolyte balance in the human body. During fasts, it keeps the body in a healthy state. Interesting, isn’t it?
Since now you have learned why sendha namak is consumed during fasts, let us give you a quick recipe of classic ‘aloo ki sabji’ that you can make at home. PS: This ‘aloo ki sabji’ is made up of sendha namak and thus, is perfect for your Mahashivratri fast. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes (chopped)
- 2 tsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ cup curd
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- Half a ginger (shredded)
- 2 tsp sendha namak or rock salt
Method
- To start with, heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds.
- When the cumin seeds start spluttering, add curd and stir fry until the ghee separates.
- Then, add chili powder, ginger powder and salt. Stir well and let it cook.
- Add potatoes and let them cook for some time.
- Add water and let it boil. Cover the lid for 15 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with puris!
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