Navratri means fasting for nine days but these fasts allow consumption of some limited food items. Navratri fasts are important and making the ‘falhari’ food takes precedence in many households.
Allowed foods
Non vegetarian food and alcohol consumption is not allowed. Water chestnut flour (singhare ka atta), buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta), amaranth seed flour (rajgire ka atta) are traditionally used to make rotis, paranthas and puris. Table salt is not allowed in certain communities. It is to be replaced with rock salt called sendha namak. Seeds like cumin and sesame are allowed. Spices like turmeric are not allowed in certain communities. Lemon juice and sugar are allowed but amchur and jaggery are not allowed in some cases. Sago or sabudana is allowed and so are peanuts, curry leaves, ginger, green chiles, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, oil, ghee, yogurt, milk…
Falhar food can be fattening
Given all these ingredients, it is likely that there would be an array of delicious recipes that can be made. Typically, these recipes are quite fattening: take for example, fried potatoes,
sabudana tikki, sabudana papad, sabudana khichdi, sabudana kheer, singhare atte ka sheera,
rajgire ki puri,
kuttu ki puri, aloo moongphali ki sabzi….all mouth watering names, but high on the fat content. It is easy to put on weight during Navratri if one is only fasting and not burning the calories playing the dandiya raas every night!
So how can we fast, remain energetic, and control the calories during Navratri?
Diet tips
- Forget keeping the kadai with oil for frying. Make paranthas instead of puris and use yogurt in the dough instead of oil. Avoid halwas as they have a lot of ghee.
- Use kuttu atta to make idlis and dhoklas. A mix of kuttu atta and sabudana gives excellent steamed dhoklas.
- Use varai to make soft khichdi with buttermilk. It is nourishing and can be cooked in one teaspoon of ghee. Eat with extra yogurt on the side and it will keep you filled up.
- Make raitas as snacks. You can use boiled potato and also bottlegourd.
- Sabudana khichdi can be made with minimal oil in the microwave. Use boiled potatoes, only a few crushed peanuts and well soaked sabudana. Cook it only a few minutes before mealtime and have it hot and freshly made.
- Make a fruit chaat. It is enjoyable and you can supplement it with boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes. Use a good amount of lemon juice, and cumin powder and enjoy it chilled.
- Make lassi and buttermilk. The latter is preferable as it does not use sugar.
- If you have acidity problems, it is important not to have long gaps between meals. Eat a small portion of food every 4 hours and keep yourself nourished. Chilled skimmed milk will help you. A banana a day also is good for you. It is the most convenient and hygienic snack to have while on the move.
