Navratri

Navratri is nine nights of devotion, dance, and deeply intentional eating. Whether you're keeping a strict vrat, cooking for family, or just leaning into sattvic food for the season, this collection brings together fasting-friendly dishes that feel celebratory rather than restrictive.

What you'll find here

Falahari and vrat-friendly recipes built around the ingredients traditionally allowed during the fast: kuttu (buckwheat) and singhara (water chestnut) atta, sabudana, samak rice, makhana, potatoes, fruits, dairy, and sendha namak. Expect classics like sabudana khichdi, kuttu ki puri, samak pulao, makhana kheer, and rajgira parathas, alongside lighter options for breakfast, dinner, and dessert across all nine days.

Cooking for the fast

A few things worth keeping in mind:

• Swap regular table salt for sendha namak (rock salt)
• Skip onion, garlic, and regular grains; lean on ghee, jeera, and green chilli for flavour
• Soak sabudana well in advance so it cooks fluffy, not gummy
• Roast makhana in ghee until crisp before adding to kheer or chaat

Beyond the fast

Navratri also means garba nights in Gujarat and the overlap with Durga Puja in Bengal, so you'll find a few non-fast festive dishes here too — think dhokla platters for guests, or simple sweets to mark Ashtami and Navami.

If you're cooking through other Indian festivals this year, the Diwali and Holi collections pick up where this one leaves off.