Navratri Recipes

Navratri Recipes

Navratri is one of those special festivals when you love to get together along with your loved ones from far and near to have a splendid time and try your hands on authentic Indian festive cuisine.HolidaySpot presents you with a compilation of festive recipes, ranging from snacks to a full course meal.So if you really want the navratri Dinner to be perfect, then don't miss out on trying out the mouth watering vegetarian dishes.Enjoy!

An all time favorite snack.

Batata Wada

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp. arrowroot flour
1 tbsp. hot oil
3-4 pinches turmeric powder
salt to taste
water

For Filling

3 potatoes, boiled & mashed
3 green chillies finely chopped
2 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp curry leaves finely chopped
1 lemon juice extracted
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil

Other ingredients :
Oil to deep fry

Method

For Filling:

Heat oil in a pan.
Add curry leaves, cumin seeds, chillies.
Add potato, lemon juice, salt, coriander, mix well.
Cool a little, make round balls, keep aside till required.

Preparation.
Heat oil in frying pan and dip each ball in the batter.Then put them gently into hot oil.
Fry on medium heat till light golden.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Repeat for all.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

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Lemon Rice

Ingredient
Basmati Rice 2 cups
lemon juice 5 tbsp
mustard seeds 2 tsp
Urad daal 2 tsp
Chana daal 2 tsp
Dried Red chillies 2-3
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

pinch of asafoetida (hing)
optional.
A pinch of turmeric

roasted peanuts 1/2cup
curry leaves 10-12
grated coconut 1 tbsp
salt to taste
vegetable oil 2 tbsp


Preparation:
Wash rice well before.then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and add a little salt to it.cook it in pressure cooker just the same way as you cook ordinary rice.Once the rice is cooked keep it aside.
heat oil in a deep frying pan or a kadai
add asafoetida,dried red chillies cut into two,urad dal and chana
cook untill dals change color to light brown
add peanuts mustard seeds when the mustard seeds start to crackle then add curry leaves fry for 10 seconds more
next add turmeric powder and stir well
add cooked rice,salt and lemon juice.mix well very gently so that the rice grains does not break
garnish with grated coconut and serve hot.

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Navrati Raita

Ingredient
1 sweet potato, boiled, chopped
1 potato, boiled, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4-5 waterchestnuts (singhara), boiled, peeled & chopped
1 cup fresh thick curds
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1 small green chilli finely chopped
1 tbsp. whole roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp. cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds whole
salt to taste
sugar to taste
1 tsp. oil

Method
Beat curds in a deep salad bowl.
Add cumin powder, salt, sugar, chilli, mix well.
Add all prepared vegetables, peanuts, mix to blend well.
Chill well till required.
Heat oil in a small crucible, or tempering spoon.
Add cumin seeds, allow to splutter.
Pour sizzling tempering over raitha.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Note: To save a lot of time in chilling raithas, chilled prepared ingredients well ahead of time. Minimum time will be required in then preparing them for serving.

Sweet Delight for Navratri

Kaju Katli

Ingredients
cashew nuts 3/4 cup
sugar 3/4 cup
Milk 2 tbsp
Ghee 2 tsp
vanilla essence 1 tbsp
water 1 cup (boiling)
silver leaf 2 sheets

Method:
Soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for 1 hour.
Combine the sugar, milk and cashew nut(drained) in a food processor to create a smooth paste.
Heat the ghee in a large pan, add the cashew nut paste and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick.
Then, add vanilla essence and mix thoroughly.
Put this mixture in a greased tray and spread it evenly and press the silver leaf on the top.
Let it cool. After it is cooled, cut into diamond shaped pieces.

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Motichur Laddoo

Ingredients
Boondi batter
Bengal gram flour 1 1/2 cup (besan)
semolina 1 1/2 tbsp (rawa)

Sugar syrup
sugar 1 1/4 cup
milk 1 tbsp
saffron few drops (food color)

saffron strands
almonds 2 tbsp (chopped)
pistachios 2 tbsp (chopped)
cardamom powder 1 tsp (elaichi)
rose water 2 tsp
Ghee/butter for deep frying
Edible silver sheets, for garnishing (optional)

Method:
Sugar syrup

Combine the sugar and milk with 1 1/2 cups of water in a bowl and heat while stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves.
Add the saffron food colour to the syrup and make a syrup of one string consistency and keep warm.

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Boondi

Combine the gram flour, semolina and 3/4 cup of water and mix well to make a smooth batter.
Heat ghee or butter in a kadhai.
When hot, hold a perforated spoon (boondi jhara) over the hot ghee and pour a little boondi batter at a time using a ladle over the perforated spoon.
Spread the batter with the back of a spoon so that the boondi falls into the ghee.
Fry the boondis over a high flame to a light golden color, taking care to ensure that they are not very crisp.
Add the boondis to the warm sugar syrup and mix well so that the boondis soak in the syrup well.
Wash and dry the perforated spoon (boondi jhara) every time you pour the boondi batter through it.
Proceed making the boondis with the remaining batter and immerse them in the sugar syrup immediately after frying.
Allow the mixture to cool completely.Add 2 tbsps of hot water, the saffron, chopped almonds, chopped pistachios, powdered cardamom, rose water and mix well.
Shape the mixture to make laddoos and garnish with silver sheets (optional).

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Gajar Halwa

Ingredients
carrots 6 (grated finely)
milk 3 cups
sugar 1 cup
mawa 1/2 cup (powdered milk)
khoya 3 tsp (ricotta cheese)
almonds 1/8 cup (chopped)
cardamoms 5 (skinned and crushed fine)
pistachios 2-3 (powdered)
ghee 1/4 cup (clarified butter)
raisins 1 tsp


Method:
Cook the carrots in the milk in an open pan on a low flame with constant stirring.
When the carrots are done, take them out and drain any excess milk.
Add the milk powder(mava), the ricotta cheese and the sugar to the carrots.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the carrot mixture and keep on high flame until the carrot paste loses the milky texture and becomes golden brown and the sugar is totally dissolved.
Add the raisins, cardamoms, powdered pistas and the almonds.
Heat through and serve either hot or cold with cream on the side.

Delicasies for Navratri

Mysore Rasam

Ingredients:
Dhal well cooked and diluted - 1/4 cup
Tomatoes - 2 medium sized
Tamarind (imli) - A small lemon size
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander leaves chopped fine - 3 teaspoons
Tomato finely chopped - - 1/2
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Dhania - 2 teaspoons
Thur dhal - 1 teaspoon
Coconut grated - 3 teaspoon
Jeera - 1/4 teaspoon
Black Pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
Red Chillies - 5 to 6


Method:
Soak tomatoes in hot water and crush them. Extract the imli pulp adding warm water and add the crushed tomatoes. Add turmeric powder, salt, hing and the finely grounded masala paste. Allow the mixture to boil well. Add the diluted dhal and bring to boil. Add Coriander leaves and a few pieces of finely chopped tomatoes before removing from fire. Season with ghee and mustard. Serve hot with rice. Vadas can also be soaked and served as RASAM VADA.

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Masala Cauliflower

Ingredients:
Cauliflower floweres - 4 cups
Potato, peeled and cubed - 1 cup
Onion, grated - 1/2 cup
Tomato, chopped - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chopped Green chillies - 4
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger, garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (Dhania powder) - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt or to taste - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves, chopped fine - For garnishing

Method:
Roast cumin seeds till they pop. Add onion and green chillies. Stir on low flame till light brown. Add cauliflower, potato and 1/2 cup water, Cover and boil for 5 minutes or till tender. Add rest of the ingredients and let cook for a minute or two. Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Paneer Kofta

Ingredients:
Boiled potatoes - 4 medium sized
Paneer - 150 gms
Chickpea flour - 4 tbsp
Baking soda - A pinch
Oil - For deep frying
Tomatoes - 2
Onion - 1
Salt & ginger - According to taste
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Corriander powder - 1 tsp.
garam masala - 1 tsp.
Turmeric - 1 tsp.
Amchoor - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Take the potatoes and mash them, and it to the panner and the rest of the ingredients (if the paneer has solidified - crumble it with your hands). Mix all the ingredients to form a soft dough. Make small balls from this. If the mixture sticks to your hands, apply some cooking oil on your palms. Heat some oil in a wok or kadhai and deep fry these balls. the oil should be hot or else the balls will tend to break apart. Strain them on a paper towel and keep aside. For the Gravy: Take the tomatoes, onions, ginger and grind them to paste. Take some oil in a deep and broad vessel and stir fry this paste till the oil starts to separate. then add salt, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and the liquid that was saved after making paneer. let this simmer for about 15 minutes on medium heat. the gravy is ready. Do not add the koftas immediately. The koftas are very soft, hence should be added 5 minutes before serving or else they will absorb too much gravy and crumble. I ususally make them ahead, and then heat the gravy and koftas together in the microwave just before serving.

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Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients:
Cranberry(fresh or frozen) - 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Methi seeds - 1 tsp.
Red chilli - 3-4
Hing - 1 tsp.
Jagerry - Seedless grape size
Mustard seeds - For seasoning
Salt - According to your taste


Method:
Mildly roast methi seeds and red chilli. Mix it with all other ingredients and blend it in a blender.Take it out to a serving bowl and season it with mustard seeds. This tastes good with Idli,Dosa, Chapathi, or any thing which needs chutney.

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Chili Chana Chutney

Ingredients:
Chowly chana(chola), or use roasted chana-1 cup(soaked over night)
Red chlli (whole) - 2 (or more)
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Tomato - 1 (big)
Coriander - 50 gm
Amchur (powdered) - 1-1/2 tbsp
Green chilli - 2 (or more )
Salt - According to taste
Ginger paste - 1/2 Tsp

Method:
Soak chana over night remove all water.Grind all the ingredients to a thick paste by adding water as needed. You can use this as a vegetable dip or use it as a chutney ,tastes very good with white rice, pakoras, Poori etc. Try and enjoy.