Simple Dishes For A

Sattvik

Fasting Diet

Quick Summary

You don't have to starve yourself to fast during Navratri. Throughout the nine-day festival, this all-inclusive cookbook explores the practice of Sattvik cooking, offering simple yet nutritious dishes like Makhana Kheer, Sabudana Khichdi, and Kuttu Ki Puri, all aligned with the principles of traditional fasting.

Deep Dive   

Whether you're fasting or not, the nine days of Navratri are dedicated to eating only Sattvik food. Fasting can be a nutritionally balanced and spiritually rewarding experience if you know what to eat, how to prepare it, and how to plan your meals in advance.

For devotees of the Sattvik fasting method, Navratri is a time of worship and mindful eating. During this period, people prioritise foods that are simple, nutritious, and free from certain grains and spices. For a traditional and delicious Navratri meal, try these simple Sattvik recipes.

1. Sabudana Khichdi

If you're fasting, Sabudana Khichdi is a must-have, a traditional Indian breakfast made with soaked tapioca pearls, cooked potatoes, roasted peanuts, spicy green chillies, and cumin seeds. A splash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh coriander brighten it up. Packed with complex carbs, healthy fats, and plant-based protein, this dish provides sustained energy and is gentle on the stomach, making it an ideal choice for long fasting periods.

2. Makhana Kheer

Dessert is an essential part of every joyous fasting celebration. One hearty option is tapioca pearls boiled in milk and sweetened with jaggery, topped with nuts and pistachios for garnish. Makhana Kheer, creamy and nutritious, is another perfect choice to satisfy your sweet cravings after a meal.

3. Kuttu Ki Puri

Kuttu puri or roti with a refreshing yoghurt raita is a classic example of sattvik cuisine and one of the most famous fasting meals. Rich in complex carbs, the puris are a simple dish that calls for buckwheat flour, cooked potatoes, and rock salt. Make a yoghurt, cucumber, and mint curry to go with it as it has probiotics and helps with digestion.

4. Fruit Salad

Preparations that are easy on the eyes are often the most delicious. As the sun sets, a delightful blend of seasonal fruits mixed with honey, lime juice, and a pinch of rock salt makes for a refreshing dessert that perfectly fits into a Sattvik meal. Crushed nuts can be added for texture and an extra boost of protein.

5. Aloo Jeera

This is a simple but flavourful dish that consists of potatoes that have been cooked and then mixed with cumin seeds and rock salt. As a side dish or as a dinner on its own, Aloo Jeera is a dish that can be prepared in a matter of minutes.

6. Samak Rice Pulao

Samak, often known as barnyard millet, is a healthy alternative to rice that can be prepared during fasts with moderate spices and vegetables. The Samak Rice Pulao is a dish that is ideal for either lunch or supper since it is easily digestible, light, and satisfying. To make the pulao more decadent without sacrificing its sattvik nature, try topping it with roasted peanuts or cubes of paneer if you like a heartier meal. 

7. Sweet Potato Tikki

Tikki Sweet Potatoes are a scrumptious snack that are prepared by boiling sweet potatoes, adding sendha namak (rock salt), and seasoning them with mild spices. These tikkis, which are pan-fried until they reach a golden colour, will offer you with natural sweetness, fibre, and energy.

What Makes Food Sattvik?

Sattvik food is all about balance, lightness, and purity. During Navratri, it means eating foods that are easy on the digestive system, rich in natural energy, and free from artificial flavours or preservatives. Grains like buckwheat and water chestnut flour, along with nuts, certain vegetables, dairy, and fresh fruits, are the main ingredients used to prepare a Sattvik meal during the fast.

Onions, garlic, common salt (rock salt is allowed), wheat, rice, and several vegetables, such as eggplant and mushrooms, are on the banned list. Despite how limiting this may seem at first, Sattvik food encourages creativity and allows us to savour the authentic flavours of what’s permitted.