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Navratri Fasting Recipes | Vrat Ka Khana | Navratri Fasting Procedure And Rules

Navratri or Navarathri is one of the important Hindu festivals. Vrat ka khana or Navratri fasting recipe also goes very well in another fasting like Janmashtami, Shivratri, and Ekasdshi.

Please find the details in Navratri fasting procedure & rules, do’s & don’t’s and much more.

Collage of Navratri recipes (vrat ka khana)

Goddess Durga is worshipped during this time in her 9 different forms.  Read more about Navratri here. Some people keep all 9 days fats and follow very strict diet.

However some plan to keep first and last day out of 9 days. All whoever observing fast refrain from onion and garlic.

During fasting, we follow some general guidelines. With minor changes, almost similar rules are applicable for other fasting days as well.

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What is the Navratri Festival?

Navratri mean, Nav- nine, ratri- nights. It is a festival of nine days where goddess Durga is worshipped in all her different forms including Lakshmi and Saraswati. The 10th day is Vijayadashmi or Dussehra.

This year Navratri begins from 17 October 2020 and ends on 26 October 2020. Each day is devoted to different forms of Goddess Durga and consider a different color for each day.

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During this festival, devotees observe fast and worship the goddess.

The nine manifested forms of Goddess Durga (Gauri) are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidhatri.

These nine forms of Durga, are worshipped as “Navadurga” in the Navratri festival.

Navratri Recipes, 25+ collection of Navratri vrat recipes, or Navratri fasting recipes. Navratri vrat ka khanna includes snack recipes, desserts, beverages & many more healthy recipes.

How Navratri is celebrated?

Durga Pooja, Ramlila, Garba, and Golu are very famous customs, celebrated in different parts of India during nine days.

The traditional method of the celebration includes fasting for a day, or partially for every nine days, and worshipping the goddess Durga.

There are restrictions over food that to eat during Navratri fasting days which I am covering in the next heading.

Navratri or Navarathri is one of the important Hindu Festival.Vrat ka khana or Navratri fasting recipe are allowed in other fasting as well like Janmashtmi, Shivratri, Ekasdshi.
Vrat ka khana recipe collection

Guideline to follow for fasting days

  • People who observe fasts, they take bath in the morning first and then perform pooja(worship) by lighting a diya (lamp) and agarbatti.
  • After the sunset, again the same process of pooja performed.
  • Pooja always starts with Ganesh Vandana.
  • During these days no hair cut and shaving is allowed.
  • People consume food as per their beliefs, some eat only one time in 24 hrs, whereas for some 3 meals a day is also fine.
  • Food is consumed only after morning pooja and in the evening after offering navaidyam to Goddess Durga or Matarani.

Check these few homemade pantry staple recipes which will help you observing Navratri fast fuss-free.

Food allowed in Navratri Fasting | Vrat or upvas Ka Khana

  • Flours and Grains – Arrowroot flour(same as Hindi name), sabudana (tapioca pearl), sabudana atta (tapioca flour), kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour), rajgira atta (amaranth flour), singhade ka atta(chestnut flour), samo rice (barnyard millet), samo rice atta (barnyard millet flour).
  • Fruits – All kinds of fruits can be consumed.
  • Vegetables – In vegetable lauki (bottle gourd), kaddu (pumpkin), aloo (potato), arbi (colocasia), shakarkand (sweet potato), carrot, kaccha Kela (plantain), cucumber and tomato are also used in some places as per their customs.
  • Milk Products – Milk, curd, paneer, homemade butter, ghee, condensed milk. See homemade curd recipe.
  • Dry Fruits – All dry fruits are allowed to eat. Specially lotus seed, almond, cashew, pista, peanut, magaj ke beej (melon seeds), raisins. Lotus seed and peanut are commonly used.
  • Spices – Sendha namak (rock salt), sugar, honey, gur (jaggery), cumin seed,  peppercorn, some household uses red chili powder, mustard seeds, dry mango powder, and whole spices. However, ask from your elders. you can check how to make roasted cumin powder.
  • Garnishing – Green chili, green coriander, ginger, and lemon juice.
  • Cooking oil – Most of the time ghee is preferred cooking medium but peanut & sunflower oil works as well. You can see how to make homemade ghee.
collage of all vrat ka khana recipes during Navratri Fasting Days.

Foods not allowed in Navratri fasting

  • There is no onion & no garlic food is cooked on all nine days.
  • No wheat flour, maida, rice, sooji, besan is allowed.
  • No normal salt only rock salt or sendha namak used to cook.

Disclaimer

Here I listed recipes that are suitable for fasting or vrat or upwas and can be customized as per each household preference of ingredients.

However, I request you to consult with your family just in case if any ingredient should be avoided or included. These are general guidelines documented as per my knowledge and the way my mother did.

Replace salt with sendha namak or rock salt in the below recipes. And avoid using turmeric as per requirement.

Navratri Fasting Recipes | Vrat Ka Khana | Upwas Ka Khana

This is the entire collection of farali recipes or vrat ka khana. You can prepare a Navratri Meal Plan by using these Navratri recipes.

Avoid turmeric powder, replace plain salt with sendha namak or rock salt, and anything that’s you don’t use during fasting in recipes. Use the guidelines as mentioned above.

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Peach chutney is sweet, slightly hot and savory condiment which goes very well with fritters, sandwiches, Indian flatbread (paratha) and many more. This taste great with the goodness of peach.          Peach ChutneyVrat ka paratha or sama rice paratha is easy and low calories fasting or upvas recipe. This is prepared on fasting days including Navratri, Ekadshi, Janamashtmi. Sama rice paratha is very nutritious, healthy, filling and gluten-free.         Sama Rice ParathaVrat ke aloo or vrat wale aloo are prepared very often during fasting/vrat, especially in Navratri fasting days. This is a no onion no garlic recipe yet lip-smacking food. This vrat wale aloo or vrat ke jeera aloo can be served on other fasts as well like Ekadashi, Mahashivratri, Janmashtami.

  Vrat Ki Aloo Chat/Vrat ke Aloo

Amarnath flour paratha or Rajgira paratha is commonly used during Navratri fasting days in most Indian Kitchen. This is a gluten-free and vegan flatbread. Adding boiled mashed potato while making a dough with the flour, helps to make paratha or flatbread. This is very quick and easiest paratha recipe to make on fasting days or upvas. Such paratha recipe is also known as farali paratha or falahari paratha (phalahari paratha).

 

Plain Rajgira Paratha

Peanut ladoo is another easy to make and simple ladoo recipe with just two ingredients. It is made with grated jaggery and dry roasted peanut. Oil in the peanut and moisture in the jaggery is good enough to bind these easy peanut ladoo. Being refined sugar-free these peanut ladoo with jaggery are very healthy and nutritious.

 

Peanut Ladoo

Dulce de leche coconut ladoo are chewy and caramel flavored delicious sweet. This irresistibly tasty ladoo are prepared with just 3 ingredients.Coconut ladoo or nariyal ladoo are often prepared for festive times like Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Diwali, and Holi.

 

Dulce De Leche Coconut Ladoo

Vrat ki chutney or falahari chutney are prepared without using onion and garlic. Today I am sharing three phalahari chutney or satvik chutney recipes with easily available ingredients, named vrat ki hari chutney, vrat ki peanut chutney and vrat ki coconut chutney which are served during fasting days or upvaas.

 

Vrat Ki Chutney

Farali paratha or kuttu ka paratha is a traditional Indian flatbread eaten during Navratri fasting days. Kuttu, also known as buckwheat flour, is commonly used by the majority of people in India during fasting days, especially in Navratri. Bherwa kuttu ka paratha is prepared with spicy potato carrot filling in kuttu flour.

 

Kuttu Ka Paratha

Samak rice dosa or farali dosa is an easy and low calories food during fasting. Barnyard millet or Samak rice is allowed to consume during Navratri fasting days. Samak rice dosa is made with Samak rice and sabudana also known as vrat ka dosa. This a gluten-free, crispy, thin and healthy dosa which requires no fermentation.

 

Vrat Ka Dosa

Kuttu ka cheela is a traditional Indian fasting recipe which is not only quick and easy to make but also a vegan and gluten-free cheela recipe. Kuttu, also known as buckwheat flour, is commonly used by the majority of people in India during fasting days, especially in Navratri.

 

Kuttu Ka Cheela

Makhana kheer is rich, creamy and delicious. Makhana is also known as lotus seed, dry roast them and boil in milk till you get desired consistency is all you need to make this kheer.

 

Makhana Kheer

Khajur burfi or dates rolls are filled with dry fruits which are soft in texture and chewy in nature.Dates n nuts rolls can be made for any festive occasions like Diwali Holi Eid or any time during the year

 

Khajur Burfi/Dates Roll

Coconut laddu is the easiest laddu recipe with just 2 ingredients. Dry coconut powder or desiccated coconut with condensed milk is just enough to make these laddus. For flavor add cardamom powder and for nutty texture add desired dry fruits.

 

Coconut Ladoo

Kuttu ki Tikki or buckwheat cutlet is a healthy, easy to cook and filling cutlet recipe. It is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. These cutlets are nutritious, filling and makes a great snack choice for all even on no-fasting days.

 

Kuttu Ki Tikki/Cutlet

Sabudana khichdi is the most favorite and popular recipe for any fasting days. But this is a staple dish to make especially in Navratri fasting. This khichdi is vegan and gluten-free Indian snack. Sabudana khichdi is also is a popular Maharashtrian breakfast item.

 

Vrat Ki Sabudana Khichdi

Phool makhana is a very healthy snack, it is roasted in ghee with salt.It is consumed as a healthy snack but mostly eaten during fasting days especially in Navratri.

 

Phoolmakhana Numkeen

Carrot raita or gajar ka raita is prepared by mixing grated carrot in curd with some spices. It is great to have with stuff parathas instead of simple curd.

 

Gajar ka Raita

Gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa is a very famous dessert in North India during the winter season also known as Gajrela in some parts of north India. Cooking grated carrot, milk, and sugar on medium heat, a bit of cardamom powder and chopped dry fruits make this halwa so delicious and lip-smacking dessert.

 

Gajar Halwa

Lauki ka halwa is an Indian sweet made during festivals and in the winter season.Preparation of lauki ka halwa is similar to gajar ka halwa. Grated bottle gourd in milk, flavored with cardamom and a handful of dry fruits makes it rich and a filling dish in Navratri fasting time.

 

Lauki Ka Halwa

Rajgira paratha is prepared during Navratri fasting days. It is one of the common ingredient used during vrat or fasting days. Rajgira is also known as Amarnath flour.

 

Rajgira Paratha

A close click of strawberry milkshake, strawberries lying behind the glass.

 

Strawberry Milkshake

Sabudana vada usually served in fasting and festival season in India. These vadas are a preferred item during fasting, especially in Navratra. In Maharashtra, this is specially served at breakfast or snack time. Sabudana vada is also a very easy and quick snack for kids tiffin box, either pack for lunch or in snack time.

 

Vrat Ka Sabudana Vada

Shikanji or Shikanjvi is a traditional summer drink in India. It is also knowns as nimbupani with just basic ingredients like lemon, sugar, and black salt. This elevates energy level on hot days.

 

Shikanji/Nimbu Paani

Sama rice kheer is usually prepared during fasting days, especially in Navratri. Mixing milk, sama rice, and sugar, cooked on medium heat and flavored with either cardamom or saffron, this sama rice kheer is tasty and very healthy.

 

Sama Rice Kheer

Lassi is a very popular curd based traditional Indian summer drink especially from Punjab. Blending together curd, sugar, saffron or cardamom and garnish with some dry fruits, serve this chilled drink with few ice cubes. Lassi is very refreshing drink and served after the meal.

 

Sweet Lassi

Watermelon juice is very simple and quick to prepare at home. Blending fresh watermelon, adding a bit of black salt and roasted cumin powder and your refreshing summer cooler watermelon juice is ready to beat the heat.

 

Watermelon Juice

Masala chaas or buttermilk is an Indian summer drink prepared with curd, water, few spices, and herbs. This does not only help in digestion but also keeps you hydrated and cool in summer. Masala chaas or buttermilk is considered to be a great summer cooler.

 

Masala Chaas

 

Lauki Ka Raita

 

Apple Raita

 

Aloo Raita

Shakarkand ki chat or sweet potato chat is a popular North Indian street food which is tangy and spicy at the same time. This is also a common ingredient to consume during fasting days (Navratri, Ekadshi, Janamashtmi).

 

Shakarkand ki chat

Farali kothimbir vadi is a crispy steamed snack made with green coriander and amaranth flour. It is a famous Gujarati snack which steamed and then fried.

 

Farali Kothimbir Vadi

Farali french fries or vrat ke french fries are crunchy, crispy, and deep fried snack to make on fasting days. Perfect to have with tea and kids after school snack as well.

 

Farali Frech Fries

Vrat ki papdi chat is a crunchy and deep fried snack which is eaten during fasting or vrat. This is a vegan and gluten-free snack too.Vrat ki papdi chat is a tangy, savory snack with tamarind chutney, green chutney, and curd.

 

Vrat Ki Papdi Chat

Kuttu Papdi Chat

Kuttu ki poori or buckwheat puri is a staple food during fasting like Navratri, Ekadashi. Crispy and flavorful kuttu pooris are commonly made in vrat or upwas in North India. Kuttu ki poori is great with vrat vale aloo sabji or any vrat ki sabji or just with simple curd.

 

Kuttu Ki Poori &

Vrat Ke Aloo Ki Sabji

Kuttu ka dahi Bhalla or vrat ka dahi vada made with buckwheat flour and then combined with beaten curd/yogurt, vrat ki chutney, cumin seed powder, and green coriander.

 

Vrat Ka Dahi Bhalla or

Vrat Ke Dahi Vada

 Close up click of strawberry lassi served in glasses and garnished with mint leaves
Strawberry lassi		 mango lassi served in tall glass and garnished with mint leaves & saffron strands.
Mango Lassi		homemade ghee stored in glass jars. 
Homemade ghee
 cumin seed powder in a glass jar
How to make roasted cumin powder		smooth & creamy instant pot yogurt Homemade yogurt/curd 
   

Frequently asked questions

What can you eat during Navratri fasting days?

This is the food list which are allowed to consume on fasting days.
Flours and Grains – Arrowroot flour(same as Hindi name), sabudana (tapioca pearl), sabudana atta (tapioca flour), kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour), rajgira atta (amaranth flour), singhade ka atta(chestnut flour), samo rice (barnyard millet), samo rice atta (barnyard millet flour).
Fruits – All kinds of fruits can be consumed.
Vegetables – In vegetable lauki (bottle gourd), kaddu (pumpkin), aloo (potato), arbi (colocasia), shakarkand (sweet potato), carrot, kaccha Kela (plantain), cucumber and tomato are also used in some places as per their customs.
Milk Products – Milk, curd, paneer, homemade butter, ghee, condensed milk.
Dry Fruits – All dry fruits are allowed to eat. Specially lotus seed, almond, cashew, pista, peanut, magaj ke beej (melon seeds), raisins. Lotus seed and peanut are commonly used.
Spices – Sendha namak (rock salt), sugar, honey, gur (jaggery), cumin seed,  peppercorn, some household uses red chili powder, mustard seeds, dry mango powder, and whole spices. However, ask from your elders.
Garnishing – Green chili, green coriander, ginger, and lemon juice.
Cooking oil – Most of the time ghee is preferred cooking medium but peanut & sunflower oil works as well.

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36 Comments

  5. Great collection of recipes and good write up on Navratri fasting rules. So many ideas to select from 🙂 I have already tried peanut laddus from your list! 🙂 I always had the confusion on chilies. I know turmeric is not allowed because it produces heat in the body. Shouldn’t it be the same for chilies and also ginger 😮

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Ashima for appreciation. I hope laddus came out good. Actually green chilies we use but ginger is used in other households. It all depends on customs people follows.

      Reply

  13. Lovely collection of Navratri recipes will pass on to friends who follow Navratri. I am a bong so during Durga Puja when the rest of India fasts and observes Navratri we Bengalis, on the other hand, are knee deep in Non-Veg food and celebrate the goddess with food…Lol!

    Reply

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