In India, Navratri is a significant nine-day-long Hindu festival that is celebrated to worship the goddess Durga. This joyous festival is celebrated with utmost fervor and enthusiasm. During this period, devotees usually observe fasts by refraining from consuming certain foods such as grains, lentils, onions, garlic, and all non-vegetarian food. However, there are certain fast-friendly Navratri snacks that people can enjoy even while fasting.
With a little innovation and easily available ingredients, you can whip up Navratri snacks in less than ten minutes. So, this festive season, treat your taste buds with these quick and simple snacking recipes.
Table of Contents
Explore These Quick & Delicious Navratri Snacks
1. Fruit Chaat
- To prepare a delicious and healthy fruit salad, you can start by chopping up a variety of fruits such as crisp apples, ripe bananas, juicy grapes, and sweet pomegranate seeds.
- Once the fruits are chopped, you can add a pinch of sendha namak, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala (if you are not fasting) for seasoning, which will add a savory and tangy flavor to the salad.
- To finish the salad, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the fruit and toss everything together.
- Finally, garnish the salad with a few sprigs of chopped mint leaves (optional), which will add a refreshing and aromatic touch to the dish.
5 Ingredients That You Can Make Kheer With During Navratri
2. Roasted Makhana
- To prepare a delicious and crunchy snack using makhana (fox nuts), begin by heating a generous amount of ghee in a pan. You can use oil as well, but we promise that the flavor of ghee enhances this so beautifully.
- Once they’re ready, sprinkle some rock salt and pepper or any other seasoning of your choice to add a burst of flavor.
- Let the makhana cool down to room temperature, and then, sit down and enjoy it as a delightful, crunchy snack.
3. Sweet Potato Chaat
- Start by cleaning the sweet potatoes.
- Now you can either steam or boil them in a pan or pressure cooker.
- You can also oil them and bake them for a more authentic texture (similar to street style shakkarkandi).
- To add flavor, sprinkle some rock salt (sendha namak), bhuna zeera and lemon juice.
4. Fruit Yogurt
- For this recipe, you can layer diced fruits such as bananas, strawberries, and kiwis with creamy yogurt in a clear glass.
- For an added crunch, sprinkle some chopped nuts or seeds like almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds over the fruit and yogurt layers.
- If you have a sweet tooth, you can drizzle honey or maple syrup on top of the fruit and nut mixture.
5. Banana and Date Milkshake
- To make a delicious and healthy banana shake, start by peeling and chopping 3 medium-sized bananas, which should roughly amount to 2 cups.
- Add all the chopped bananas in a mixer or blender jar.
- Next, pour in 2 cups of coconut milk or any type of milk you prefer.
- To add some sweetness to your shake, include 2 to 3 tablespoons of raw sugar or jaggery.
- However, feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to suit your taste buds or skip it altogether.
- Additionally, you may use other natural sweeteners like jaggery, coconut sugar, or honey, as a substitute for raw sugar.
- After adding the above components, make sure to blend the mixture. Blend it till the milkshake does not become smooth and creamy.
- If you find the shake to be too thick, add a few splashes of water and blend again until you achieve the desired consistency.
6. Sweet Lassi
- To make a refreshing lassi, start by taking 2 cups of fresh and chilled yogurt or homemade curd in a bowl or pan.
- To make the curd smooth, use a handheld wooden churner, also known as Madani in Hindi, or an immersion blender or a wired whisk.
- Whip the curd until it’s smooth and without any lumps.
- Next, add 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar or as per your taste preferences.
- You can also pour 1 cup of cold water or cold milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Once churned well, serve with lots of ice. Add kewra or rose essence (optional).
7. Coconut Laddoo
- Simple to make and easy to finish.
- These coconut laddus only need two ingredients and you’re good to go.
- Mix desiccated coconut and condensed milk in a bowl and turn them into small bite-sized laddoos.
- You can add some almonds to add crunch, although not compulsory.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do you know of any Navratri snack options that require no cooking?
Here are some no-cook Navratri snack options : fruit chaat, mix dry fruits, and yogurt with chopped fruits.
2. What are the different sweet treats for Navratri?
Makhana kheer, sabudana kheer, rajgira halwa and date rolls are some of quick sweet treats that can be enjoyed during Navratri fasting.
3. What alternatives can I use for wheat flour during Navratri?
There are different fast-friendly flours you can use in place of wheat flour including – kuttu ka atta (buckwheat) , singhare ka atta (water chestnut), rajgira atta (amaranth) and sabudana flour.
Conclusion
So, don’t waste any time, gather your ingredients, head to the kitchen, and whip up these treats to enjoy throughout the Navratri festivities!