Ultra presents Navratri superfoods

Discover a healthy way to fast this festive season.

The festival of Navratri is a celebration of the divine female power. It is also a time to fast, cleanse the body, revitalize the mind and shift focus inwards, into ourselves.

Traditionally Navratri is celebrated with nine days of fasting. Staying away from rice, wheat and other cereal heavy meals and switching to millets, pseudo-cereals and grains during this period is believed to reduce the impact on the digestive system, allowing it to help cleanse the body.

Ultra explores traditional Navratri dishes that are prepared through the country. Try these new recipes and make this a healthy festive season.

Buckwheat flour Poori – Kuttu ki Poori

kuttu ki poori
Image source: shutterstock images

Buckwheat is a gluten-free pseudo-cereal. It does not come from the same family as wheat. However, it has a high carbohydrate content and is used as a substitute for rice and wheat dishes. Its high dietary fibre helps in cleaning the gut and regulate blood sugar. It is also a rich source of manganese, copper and magnesium.

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 4

Prep Time
10 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
20 MINS
PRINT RECIPE
Prep Time
10 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
20 MINS

2 Cups buckwheat flour
1 Cup water (hot)
1 Tsp cumin powder
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Mix salt and cumin with the buckwheat flour
2. Add the hot water and mix well to form a dough. Rub a little oil and set aside.
3. Roll into pooris and fry.
4. Serve hot.

Sabhudhana Kichidi

Sabudhana kitchidi is a tasty and healthy breakfast dish. It’s quick to make, has antioxidants and is a resistant starch. Resistant starch are not easily digestible but act like dietary fibre and help clean the gut. This makes the dish an ideal fasting meal.

Sabhudhana Kichidi
Image source: Shutterstock images

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 2 portions

Prep Time
10 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
20 MINS
PRINT RECIPE
Prep Time
10 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
20 MINS

1 Cup sabudhana / sago pearls
1 Cup water (to soak)
1 Potato (cooked and roughly crushed)
1-2 green chillies (slit)
¼ Tsp black pepper (cracked)
1 Tsp cumin
1 Tsp mustard
¼ Tsp turmeric
2 Sprigs curry leaves
¼ Cup peanuts (roasted)
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash and soak the sabhudana overnight. Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan, add oil, green chillies, cumin, mustard, turmeric, curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add the sabhudana and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
4. Add peanuts whole or crushed.
5. Serve hot.

Singhaada Kheer (water chestnut)

Singhaada Kheer
Image source: Shutterstock images

Water chestnut is a healthy and fibrous edible corn that is consumed in various forms across several cultures. Besides being high in antioxidants, it also helps purify the blood and regulate blood pressure and cholesterol.
Singhaada flour is used in preparations in the Maharashtrian household during vrat or fasting days.

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 2 portions

Prep Time
5 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
15 MINS
PRINT RECIPE
Prep Time
5 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
15 MINS

2 Tbsp Singhaada flour
2 Cups milk
4 Tbsp ghee
1 Tsp cardamom powder
1 Tbsp chopped nuts
4-5 Tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Make a roux by adding ghee to the pan and adding the singhaada flour, a little at a time.
2. When the flour in roasted in ghee for minute, add the milk, one ladle at a time while stirring continuously to mix all the lumps in.
3. Add the sugar, nuts and cardamom and serve hot.

Watermelon rind subzi

Watermelon-rind-subz

Watermelon-rind-subz
Image source: Shutterstock images

In some households, vrat is observed with just consuming fruit and dairy. Fruit consumption is a big part of Navratri fasting. If you have a watermelon to enjoy, use the rind and make a new and interesting subzi for lunch.

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 4 portions

Prep Time
20 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
30 MINS
PRINT RECIPE
Prep Time
20 MINS
Cooking Time
10 MINS
Total Time
30 MINS

4-5 Cups watermelon (white rind without the pink or green part)
1-2 Tsp jeera
1 Tsp ginger (grated)
1 Sprig curry leaves
1 Tsp asafoetida/hing
1 Tbsp ghee
2 Red chillies (dry)

Method:

1. In a kadaai, add the ghee, jeera, ginger, hing and curry leaves.
2. Add the watermelon rind and sauté for 5-8 minutes.
3. Add a cup of water and cook covered on a low flame till tender and done.
4. Serve with hot rice.

Optiflame-1
Home stove -1

Elgi Ultra Optiflame

Gas savings, less cooking time and high safety are compelling reasons to choose the Ultra Optiflame gas stove.

Stove Icon1
70%+ GAS EFFICIENCY IN ALL BURNERS

Unique design for efficient air/gas mixing.* Verified and certified by Goverment Approved Lab.

Stove Icon2
8MM THICK TOUGHENED GLASS

More durable and safer than thinner glasses.

Stove Icon3
FAST COOKING

The burner unit assembly is optimised to produce more heat, by burning gas more efficiently by cooking fast without gas.

Stove Icon4
FORGED BRASS BURNERS

Stronger, safer and more efficient than ordinary cast burners.

Stove Icon5
SABAF FLAME FAILURE SAFETY DEVICE

Cuts off gas flow to the burner when flame goes off accidentally.

Stove Icon6
SPACIOUS DESIGN

Wide space between burners and a spacious top for easy cleaning and resting ladles.