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Singhara Atta

Vrat Recipes To Savour When Fasting For Sawan Somwar

Sawan Somwar refers to the Mondays (Somwar) that fall during Sawan (fifth month of the Hindu calendar). It’s a holy month, particularly significant for devotees of Lord Shiva. According to Hindu mythology, fasting on Mondays and offering water, milk, and bael leaves to the Shivaling fulfills all desires. Since both Mondays and sawan are considered to be dear to Lord Shiva, fasting on the Mondays during sawan is considered highly auspicious.

Singhara atta is flour made from singhara or water chestnut, and it’s one of the most commonly used ingredients during fasting, not just for sawan but also Navratri and other religious fasts. As a gluten-free flour, it provides essential carbs when commonly consumed grains, like wheat and rice, are prohibited during vrat. It has a nutty, mildly sweet flavour, and can be used to make a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Find below.

The singhara atta halwa is an excellent treat for those fasting because it provides energy and nutrition, and keeps you satiated for long periods. And it only needs three core ingredients, which explains its popularity as vrat food. To cook this, start by roasting the singhara flour in ghee, then add a cup of boiling water. Now stir to avoid lumps, add sugar, and mix well till the ghee starts to leave from the halwa. Your halwa is ready; you can top it with chopped nuts for a more festive look. 

Sawan vrat recipes include many sweets and mains, but the breads are not far behind. Like this singhara atta poori that has a mildly nutty and earthy flavour. The dough is made by mixing mashed potatoes with singhara flour and sendha namak. Use little to no water when kneading, but add a tsp of oil. The dough will be firm. It’s then rolled and fried till it puffs into a crisp yet soft poori. You can enjoy this with raita, or vrat-friendly aloo sabzi.

Sawan vrat recipes allow the use of potato and singhara atta, which means you can enjoy your favourite street food even when fasting. The singhara atta forms the crust, while the potatoes, seasoned with permissible spices and sendha namak, make the filling. It’s prepared strictly without onions or garlic. And since singhara is gluten-free, people on a gluten-free diet can also enjoy this snack. You can pair it with vrat-friendly coriander chutney and enjoy as a tea-time snack. 

One of the most common singhara atta recipes is singhara atta pakoras, fritters made by coating boiled potatoes in a batter of singhara flour, spices, and water. They come together quickly enough for a crispy, rainy-day evening snack – after all, you don’t want the rains ending before you get the pakoras on the plate. You can also serve these with yoghurt for a hearty lunch or pair them with other vrat-friendly snacks for a small gathering.  

It’s not all fried and rolled on the list. There’s also the singhara atta dhokla, a light, steamed snack that's perfect if you're looking for something easy on the stomach during a fast. Prepare a batter using singhara atta, yoghurt, and vrat-friendly spices, then add fruit salt or baking soda just before steaming. Once cooked, finish it with a simple tempering of ghee, cumin seeds, and green chillies. Serve warm with vrat-friendly coriander chutney.

The singhara atta cheela or roti is made by mixing the flour with grated lauki (for structure) and basic spices. In some houses, it may be mixed with mashed potatoes instead of lauki. It’s never going to be as thin as a wheat flour roti or a cheela made from gram flour, and rolling it does take a bit of an effort, but it’s one of the best dishes to make at home. You can pair it with simple, vrat-friendly curries or sabzi for a wholesome meal.

Halwa is a classic, but that does not mean you can’t desire something different but still sweet. That’s why there’s barfi. Similar to the halwa, this too is prepared by roasting singhara flour in ghee until aromatic before mixing it with sugar and milk (or khoya for a richer version). The mixture is then spread into a greased tray, garnished with chopped nuts, and allowed to set before cutting into squares. Rich, mildly nutty, and satisfying, you can prepare a large batch of barfi and enjoy it through the month. 

These singhara atta recipes are fairly straightforward because they rely on making swaps to existing dishes, rather than reinventing the wheel. Whether you like crispy pakoras and samosas, fluffy pooris, a classic halwa, or sweet and dense barfi, singhara atta will make sure Sawan Somwar fasting never feels monotonous. Just make sure that all other ingredients are also vrat-friendly and avoid cross-contamination with other utensils when cooking (especially if you follow a gluten-free diet).