NAVRATRI PLATTER BECOMES BIGGER AND TASTIER

Chefs and food buffs are adding tasty twists and innovations to the traditional Navratri platter this year. Earlier, limited to kutu puri-sabzi, sabudana khichdi and lassi a whole lot of regional and international dishes are being added with “permissible ingredients”.

Reality show MasterChef India winner Pankaj Bhadouria says that foodies are experimenting a lot and trying to come up with new dishes.

“Making dosa, idli, chilla with the ingredients we eat at Navratri such as kutu-kaatta, samak rice, ramdana flour, sabudana and more is an interesting add-on. People are looking at healthier and tasty options as these traditional thalis are high on calories plus the fat. No one can eat puri-sabzi for days, so they are trying items that are lighter on stomach and healthier too. Also, a lot of

People are looking at healthier and tasty options as these traditional thalis are high on calories plus the fat PANKAJ BHADOURIA, MasterChef India winner

side dishes like chutnies, smoothies and shakes can be made to make the thali wholesome meal,” she tells. Sagar Punn executive chef at Pack-n-Chew tells that those fasting look for delicacies, but regular clients want to try different dishes as well. “For our patrons we came up with fusion fasting snacks such as Veg Chinese Sizzler, Chilly paneer, Kung Pao paneer, honey chilly potatoes, wedges and Paneer hariyali tikkas to add more colour to the platter,” he adds. Cloud kitchen Super Foods DND has come up with some healthy yet tasty options. “We have seen that fasting food often becomes too oily and rich so we have tried to bring on healthy ingredients. Some of the dishes that are doing well besides regular Navratri thali are Fruits seeds and nut salad, Mix fruits lassi, Navratri special kebab, Paneer Salad, Sabudana kheer and khichdi besides our protein-rich smoothies.”

At international cuisine food joint Masaki Cafe Couture, they are offering salads and juices. “Customers come to us to enjoy Italian or pan-Asian cuisine but for those fasting are serving exotic salads, freshly cold pressed juices and smoothies,” shares its consultant chef Zulfiqar Hussain.

Pepperz Restaurant on Kanpur Road has introduced Potato cheese nuggets, Sabudana croquettes, Sabudana khichri and Phalhari peanut salad.

However, many feel it’s a traditional thali that works. “See at the end its business and we can introduce 50 items, but fact is that during vrat people try home-cooked food. For our in-house guests and restaurant requirement we have serve choicest vrat delicacies on a banana leaf,” tells Ajay Pratap Singh of Hilton Garden Inn.

Chef Gyanender Mahour of Hotel Clarks Inn too feels that it’s the traditional thali that work better than the new ones with add-ons.

Exotic salad and fresh juices