WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU FOR NAVRATRI?

Here are some devour-worthy delicacies you can whip up to replace conventional falahaar

SUGARFREE SRIKHAND

Place a strainer in a deep bowl and cover with a muslin cloth. Pour in a cup of plain yoghurt and refrigerate for four to five hours. After this, you’ll be left with thick yoghurt or hung curd. Next, crush a few strands of saffron and mix them with a tablespoon of milk. Add this to the hung curd and mix. Do not whisk or stir vigorously, or else you’ll end up with a runny consistency. Add 1/4th tsp cardamom powder and chopped fruits of your choice and refrigerate for four-five hours. Serve chilled.

Recipe by chef Maharaj Bhawar Singh

SHAKARKANDI CHAAT

Boil 220g sweet potato and roast before chopping into small cubes. In a large bowl, throw in the sweet potato cubes and toss along with 60g of chopped tomato, 40g of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, 10g sendha namak (rock salt), 30g pomegranate, 25g of chopped green chilli. Squeeze in lemon juice as needed and serve.

Recipe by chef Ashish Singh

SABUDANA AND COCONUT KHEER

In a deep, non-stick pan, add three cups of coconut milk and half a cup of coconut water. Heat on medium flame and add pre-soaked sabudana. Mix, simmer and cook till transparent. Add 2tbsp coconut cream and mix well. Add a pinch of salt, cardamom powder and simmer for five minutes. Once off the flame, add strained jaggery syrup as per desired sweetness. Cool it down completely. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate at least for two hours. Serve chilled, garnished lightly with sautéed coconut slices.

Recipe by chef Reetu Uday Kugaji

RAW BANANA AND BEETROOT KEBABS

Boil a raw banana, a beetroot and a potato. Cool, peel and mash the banana and potato. Peel and grate the beetroot. Transfer to a bowl, add chopped green chillies as per taste, along with 1tbsp chopped coriander, chopped ginger, roasted peanuts, 1 tbsp amaranth flour and sendha namak to taste. Mix well, shape into kebabs and top with 2tsp sesame seeds. On a skillet greased with a bit of oil, cook on low flame until crisp on both sides.

Recipe by chef Surabhi Sehgal

TEA COMPRESSED WATERMELON WITH SWEET POTATO AND AMARANTH

Boil 1tsp tea in water and in it, marinate the chopped watermelon. Top it with a mint sprig and rock salt. Boil 50g dry tamarind and strain it. To this, add 23g jaggery and 1tsp red chilli powder. Boil 50g sweet potatoes and chop into cubes. Mix with 20g cherry tomatoes, 1/2tsp red chilli, 20g coriander leaves and tamarind chutney to make a chaat. Top the watermelon disc with this, sprinkle toasted amaranth seeds and serve.

Recipe by chef Nishant Choubey