Recipes to turn a fast into a feast

It is that time of the year when Goddess Durga is worshipped by all, people play garba and the  aroma of pure butter or desi ghee delicacies fill up the air. Navratri is one of the biggest Hindu festival, which is celebrated with much fervour. And how can any fesrival be complete with out scrumptious delicacies. Here are a few recipes that you can try this festive season.

Samak Upma

Ingredients:

• Samak / Sama chawal / bhagar - 1 cup soaked 20 min
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Peanuts raw - 2 tbsp
• Potato- 1
• Kaju - 1 tsp
• Nariyal - as per taste
• Green chillies - 2
• Curry Leaves (Kari patta) - 2
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Anardana - 1 tsp
• Cumin (jeera) 1 tsp
• Fresh green coriander- 2 tbsp
• Rock salt- 1 tsp (taste according)
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - ½ tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Water - as required

Procedure:

• Take a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of samak rice in it. Add about two cups of water and soak it for 20 minutes.
• Boil a litre of water, and add soaked millets and boil for 4-5 mins, stirring frequently. Cook 90 per cent, strain and keep aside.

For tadka

• Heat ghee, fry peanuts, raw aloo together until golden.
• Once half cooked, add 1 tbsp kaju and sliced coconut.
• Cook until golden, then add green chilli, curry leaf, ginger, anardana, cumin seeds, coriander leafs and stir.
• Add rock salt, boiled samak (kind of rice), sugar, lemon juice, pepper and stir, use water for upma like consistency. Cover and steam for 5 mins. For extra texture, dry roast makhana/foxnuts for 3-4 mins, crush and use to arnish and serve hot!

Tadka Aloo & Dosa for Vrat

Dosa

• Makhana - ¾ cup/1 cup
• Sama/millet: ¾ cup /1 cup
• Water: for soaking  
• Green chillies - 3
• Coriander: ¼ cup
• Curry leaves
• Rock salt: As per taste
• Black pepper: ½ tsp
• Ghee: 1 tsp

Tadka Aloo

• Ghee: 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Peanuts: 2 tbsp raw
• Curry leaves
• Green chilli: 1
• Fresh coriander: 1 tbsp
• Aloo: 2 boiled
• Tomato: 1
• Sendha namak: to taste
• Kalimirchi: ½tsp
• Amchoor powder: ½tsp
• Pani: 2-3 tbsp

Peanuts Dhaniya Vrat ki Chutney

• Dried  coconut - 1 tbsp
• Roasted Peanuts - 1 tbsp
• Tomato: 1 large
• Fresh coriander: 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves: 12-14 leaves
• 2 Green chillies
• Ginger: ½ inch
• Rock salt: 1tsp

Procedure:

Soak makhana and samak rice together for 20 minutes. Drain that, grind with chillies, coriander, curry leaf and sendha namak, pepper powder and 1 tsp ghee. Grind to smooth using minimal water.

For Tadka Aloo

• Heat 1 tbsp ghee, temper with cumin seeds, roast peanuts in low heat and add curry leaves, green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Stir fry 2 boiled potatoes, and one tomato together for 2 minutes. Then add rock salt, pepper powder, mango powder and roast spices, add water to adjust consistency

For Dosa

• Heat tawa, season with oil, then cool with water. Spread batter, and cook until crisp and golden. Can be made without oil!
• Roll dosa and serve hot with vrat peanut chutney.

For Chutney

• Grind coconut, roasted peanuts, tomato, fresh coriander, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger, rock salt to a fine chutney.