Sunday Special: Happy Navratri Festival!

CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI

Navratri (nine nights) is one of the greatest Hindu festivals. It symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Navratri takes place at the beginning of October around harvest time and, as the name implies, this festival is celebrated for nine days. Navratri is also known as Durga Puja. The festival is also a time for fasting when people abstain from certain foods. It is a time of great enthusiasm, music, dance, and devotion to seek blessings from the goddess.

It is a time of great enthusiasm, music, dance, and devotion to seek blessings from the goddess
Navratri holds cultural and social significance across India, with diverse traditions and rituals adding to the festivities
Durga fought the demon for 10 days, and it proved quite difficult as he kept changing his form to confuse the goddess. However, when he finally turned a buffalo, Durga was able to defeat him

History

Navratri has a rich history rooted in Hindu mythology, with tales of goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura and Lord Rama’s return after defeating Ravana. It has evolved into a joyous celebration of feminine power, devotion, and righteousness. The festival brings people together to worship, dance, and fast, seeking blessings and spiritual growth. Navratri holds cultural and social significance across India, with diverse traditions and rituals adding to the festivities. It’s a time to express gratitude & celebrate the divine goddess.

Why is Navratri celebrated?

Navratri is a time when Hindus celebrate the goddess Durga for killing the demon, Mahishasura.A more powerful God, Lord Brahma, had blessed Mahishasura with the gift of immortality because of his dedication to Him, which meant he could never die. However, this gift did come with one condition- the only person who would be able to defeat Mahishasura would be a woman. Mahishasura didn’t think any woman would be strong enough to kill him and was with the deal.

Over the years, Mahishasura and his men became a powerful force attacking people on Earth and no God’s were able to defeat him. Finally, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva- the three most powerful Hindu Gods – decided to come together and create the goddess Durga, a powerful woman whose job would be to destroy Mahishasura.The Gods equipped the new goddess Durga with lots of weapons before she went into battle with Mahishasura. Durga fought the demon for 10 days, and it proved quite difficult as he kept changing his form to confuse the goddess. However, when he finally turned a buffalo, Durga was able to defeat him.

9 forms of Durga

The nine forms of Durga worshipped during Navratri are

Shailaputri
Brahmacharini
Chandraghanta
Kushmanda
Skandamata
Katyayani
Kalaratsi
Mahagauri
Siddhidatri

Each form represents a different aspect of the goddess and has its own significance and symbolism.

Significance of Dandiya and Garba

Dandiya and Garba are traditional dance forms that hold great significance during Navratri. Dandiya is a lively dance performed with wooden sticks, while Garba is a circular dance performed in a rhythmic pattern. Both dances are associated with the worship of the goddess Durga and celebrate the triumph of good over evil. They are a way to express joy, devotion, and unity among people. The energetic movements and footwork in Dandiya and Garba create a festive atmosphere and bring people together in celebration. These dance forms are also a means of preserving and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Gujarat, where they originated.

9 recipes (easy to make) during Navratri Festival

SABUDANA KHICHDI

Ingredients

Sabudana- 1 cup

Roasted Peanut- ½ cup

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1tsp.

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Salt- 2 tbsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Coriander-1tbsp

Green chillies- 1 tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and Soak sabudana in water for an hour.
Drain in a colander, spread over a thick cloth, for about 1 hour.
Mix sabudana, peanuts, salt and chilli powder very well.
Heat ghee, add cumin seeds, curry leaves. Then add sabundana mixture & turn over low heat till cooked.
Take it off the heat, add the lemon juice and mix well.
Serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves & green chillies.

KUTTU KI POORI

Ingredients

Buckwheat flour/ kuttu atta- 1.5 cups

Boiled Potato- 1 no

Pepper powder- ½ tsp

Ghee- ½ tsp

Rava/ Sooji- 1 tsp

Salt & water- as required

Method

Take kutte ka atta in a wide plate.
Pressure cook potato till soft, peel the skin & mash it.
Add the mashed potato, pepper powder, salt, sooji and ghee to the flour.
Mix well. Add water gradually and make smooth dough.
Roll thick poori & set aside.
Heat oil and deep fry the poori on both sides.
Remove & serve hot with dahi aloo.

SINGHARE KE ATTE KA HALWA

Ingredients

Singhare ka atta- 1 cup

Ghee- 1 cup

Water- as required

Sugar- 1 cup

Dry fruits- as required

Cardamom powder- 1tsp

Method

In a deep pan heat ghee. Add singhare ka atta and roast, stir continuously till golden brown in low flame.
Add water & stir till water is absorbed. Add sugar & mix till the sugar is dissolved & it forms lumps. Add cardamom powder and off the flame.
Garnish with dry fruits and serve hot.

ALOO JEERA WALI SUBZI

Ingredients

Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp

Oil- 2 tsp

Ginger- 1 inch

Garlic- 2 no.

Turmeric- ½ tsp

Lal mirch powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder-1/2tsp

Dry mango powder- ¾ tsp

Salt- as required

Boiled potatoes- 2 nos.

Water- as required Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp

Method

Heat oil, add cumin seeds saute. Add ginger and green chilli.
Keep on low flame, add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, salt to taste.
Add 2 boiled potatoes, mix gently.
Add water, cover and simmer for 5 mins.
Add coriander leaves and serve jeera aloo with rice or chapati.

MAKHANA SNACKS

Ingredients

Makhana- 3 cups

Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp.

Red chilli powder- ½ tsp

Chaat Masala Powder- 1 tsp

Salt- аs required

Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp.

Method

Heat oil in a wok. Add the makhana and roast for 10-12 mins on low heat. Keep stirring.
Add all spice powders & salt, except chaat masala.
Turn off the heat, stir well.
Sprinkle chaat masala powder, mix well.
Serve at room temperature.

RAJGIRA PARATHA

Ingredients

Rajgira flour- 1 cup

Whole wheat flour-1/2cup.

Ginger garlic paste- ½ tsp.

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- ½ tsp

Salt- as required

Lemon juice- ½ tsp

Ghee- 1 ½ tsp

Boiled Potato- 1 no

Coriander leaves chopped-1 tbsp.

Method

Take rajgira flour in a bowl, add wheat flour, ginger garlic chilli paste, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, salt, lemon juice & 1 tsp ghee. Mash the potato , add sufficient water make a dough. Add coriander leaves, add ghee, knead dough. Roll the dough into a paratha
Heat a non-stick tawa, cook on medium heat, apply a little ghee on both sides a cook each side for 1 minute.
Serve hot with yoghurt.

SAMAK RICE PULAO

Ingredients

Samak rice- 1 cup

Ghee- 1 ½ tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Cardamom- 3 no.

Black pepper- ½ tsp

Ginger- 1 inch

Slit green chilli- 2 slice

Potato cubes- ½ no

Carrot cubes-1/2 no

Salt- ½ tsp.

Cashews- 10 halved

Boiled peas- 3 tbsp

dessicated coconut- 2 tbsp

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp

Method

Wash, soak rice 2- 3 hours before, heat ghee, add cumin suds, green cardamom, saute, add green chilli, ginger sauté. Now add carrots, peas & potatoes, saute, add samak rice . Add pepper, salt, 2 cups of water.
In another pan, heat ghee, add dessicated coconut & Cashews, roast them . Once done add nuts, pour lemon juice , mix well.
Serve hot, garnish with corriander leaves.

VRATWALA PANEER

Ingredients

Potato- 2 no.

Paneer- 2 cups

Raisins- 50 gm.

Salt- as required

Green chilli- 4 no.

Nutmeg- 1 dash

Ghee- 1/½cup

Green cardamom powder-1 pinch

Method

Boil the potatoes.
In a bowl with potatoes, add Paneer & green chilli , mix well, add salt, raisins, black Pepper, cardamom powder and nutmeg. Mix well.
Knead the dough, prepare rolls out of this dough.
Heat ghee in a pan, fry until the rolls turn golden brown
Serve hot.

COCONUT LADDOOS

Ingredients

Grated coconut- 1/ ½ cup.

Cardamom powder- ½ tsp

Condensed milk- ¾ cup

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Dessicated coconut- 1 /½ cup

Method

In a pan, add ghee add grated coconut and saute on low flame.
Add condensed milk, cardamom powder, mix well.
Stir continuously.
Pour the mixture in a big bowl, make small balls.
Roll balls in the desiccated coconut.
Serve it.

Wishing all our readers a very happy & prosperous Navratri Festival 2023.

Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.

He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336. Mail: chefkaviraj249@gmail.com

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