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Navratri is an auspicious Hindu festival that is widely celebrated all over the country. It is an elaborate nine-day festival where we worship the divine feminine power of Shakti. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, Shardiya Navratri falls in the month of Ashwin. This year, it will begin on October 15 and conclude on October 24 with Dussehra.
Besides worshipping Goddess Durga, we also celebrate Navratri with dandiya and delicious foods. Hindus abstain from eating onion, garlic, non-vegetarian foods, and other tamasik foods during this festival and switch to the Sattvik diet. Buckwheat, chestnut flour, sabudana, fruits, milk, and vegetables are essential parts of Navratri meals.
Speaking particularly about vegetables, potatoes have a very important role to play during fasting days. They are sattivik in nature and can be added to each meal of the day. This vegetable is also high in carbohydrates, along with other vitamins and minerals that improve satiety and provide you with energy during fasting. If you are also looking for some vrat-friendly potato dishes for Navratri, here are ten recipes for you:
Jeera Aloo
We all know potatoes are versatile; even with just a little effort, this vegetable can be transformed into a delicious dish. The best example of this is Jeera aloo. Cooked with very basic ingredients like asafoetida, green chilli, salt, cumin seeds, coriander powder, and boiled potatoes, it goes well with roti, puri, and chawal-dal.
Dahi Aloo
Also known as vrat wale aloo, this potato dish is very popular during Navratri. There are many ways to prepare it, and each of them tastes delicious. It is rich in taste and goes well with buckwheat puris for fasting days. To prepare dahi aloo, all you need are potatoes, curd, black pepper, rock salt, ghee, cumin, and green chillies.
Aloo Raita
Raita is a go-to side with every Indian meal, and there are plenty of recipes available, such as cucumber raita, fruit raita, and onion raita. Vrat-friendly aloo raita is made with boiled potatoes, beaten curd, cumin, black pepper, rock salt, and fresh coriander leaves. It just takes 15 minutes to get it ready, and you can serve it for both lunch and dinner.
Aloo Chaat
If you are looking for a quick snack during Navratri, then try the scrumptious aloo chaat. It is simple to prepare but tastes very delicious. All you have to do is boil the potatoes, cut them into bite-size pieces, and then shallow fry in oil. Season with your favourite spices, like cumin and red chilli powder, and you are good to go.
Aloo Tikki
This is another snack you can prepare on Navratri with potatoes. Aloo tikki is a popular street food in India that is prepared with lots of flavour and spices. However, there is also a sattvik version of this snack that is prepared with chestnut flour, rock salt, green chillies, and boiled potatoes. You can serve aloo tikki with any green chutney.
Aloo Khichdi
During fasting days, we often look for healthy dishes that can keep us full and energetic for a long time. So, here is a perfect recipe for you. Made with potatoes, curry leaves, peanuts, lemon juice, and a few spices like cumin seeds, potato khichdi goes well for both lunch and dinner. You can enhance its flavour by adding some cardamom and cloves to the dish.
Aloo Ki Kadhi
Kadhi is a beloved dish in India that is mainly enjoyed for lunch. Traditionally, this dish is prepared with gram flour, but there is also a vrat-friendly version of this delight that can be enjoyed during Navratri. To prepare vrat wali aloo kadhi, you need potatoes, buckwheat, and curd. It is best served with Samak rice.
Aloo Chilla
If you are looking for a breakfast dish for Navratri, then try this aloo chilla. It is prepared with buckwheat flour instead of gram flour and uses rock salt instead of regular salt. Other ingredients for preparing this pancake are chilli, cumin powder, and black pepper. It is best served with green mint chutney.
Aloo Pakora
Who doesn’t like some crispy and spicy pakoras for an evening snack? But usually fritters include onions, which are not consumed during Navratri. To prepare sattvik pakoras, combine potatoes with chestnut flour and spices like black pepper and salt and deep fry in oil. You can enjoy this delicious snack with red or green chutney.
Aloo Halwa
After all these savoury dishes, now it's time for some sweet treats. Potatoes also taste good as desserts. Aloo halwa is a simple yet scrumptious dish that is perfect for Navratri meals. Made with boiled potatoes, ghee, sugar, milk, cardamom powder, and nuts like almonds and cashews, aloo halwa can be ready in less than half an hour.
