Navratri 2026: India’s Top Chefs Share 10 Vrat Recipes To Make At Home This Festive Season

Navratri is a time for prayer, festive gatherings and traditional food. For those observing a vrat, the nine days often bring a change in everyday meals, with ingredients such as sabudana, samak rice, rajgira, kuttu, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, nuts and dairy taking centre stage. From familiar fasting favourites such as sabudana khichdi and kaddu ki sabzi to contemporary dishes such as ragi tacos and farali tokri chaat, there are several ways to add variety to a Navratri menu. We asked several chefs to share some of the best vrat dishes. Want to know some of their best dishes? Scroll down!

10 Chef-Special Vrat Recipes To Try During The Nine-Day Festival

1. Samak And Sweet Potato Tikki, By Ms Sagarika Garg, Nutritionist, Soulfull at Tata Consumer Products

Combining barnyard millet, also known as samak, with mashed sweet potato and roasted peanut powder, these tikkis offer a twist on the familiar aloo tikki. Cumin adds flavour, while shallow-frying gives the patties a golden crust.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked barnyard millet (samak)
• 1 medium sweet potato, boiled and mashed
• 1 tbsp roasted peanut powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• Rock salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander, if permitted
• 1-2 tsp ghee or oil
• Green chilli, optional and as permitted

Method

1. Cook the samak until tender and allow it to cool slightly.
2. Combine it with mashed sweet potato, peanut powder, cumin, rock salt and coriander.
3. Shape the mixture into small, flat patties.
4. Grease a pan lightly with ghee or oil and cook the tikkis over medium-low heat until golden on both sides.
5. Serve warm with coriander chutney or plain curd, if permitted during fasting.

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2. Navarathna Milk (Masala Milk) By Chef Naren Thimmaiah, Karavalli, Vivanta Bengaluru, Residency Road

This version of masala milk brings together milk, saffron, cardamom, fennel, nuts and rose petals. It can be served chilled or at room temperature and requires no heating, making it a convenient festive drink.

Ingredients

• 500 ml high-protein milk
• 3-4 saffron strands or a pinch of turmeric
• 2-3 chopped cashews
• 2-3 chopped almonds
• 2-3 chopped pistachios
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp fresh rose petals
• Crushed fennel seeds, as desired
• A pinch of crushed pepper
• 1 tsp honey, optional

Method

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or serving jug.
2. Add the saffron or turmeric, chopped nuts, cardamom, rose petals, fennel and crushed pepper.
3. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
4. Add honey if desired and serve chilled or at room temperature.

3. Amaranth And Potato Pancake By Chef Vikas Seth, Culinary Director, Embassy Leisure

Rajgira, or amaranth flour, is commonly used in fasting recipes. Here, it is combined with potato and roasted peanut powder to make savoury pancakes. Cumin, pepper and green chilli add flavour, while ghee gives the pancakes a crisp finish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup amaranth flour (rajgira atta)
• 1 cup grated raw or boiled and mashed potato
• 3 tbsp roasted, crushed peanuts
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• Finely chopped green chilli, as permitted
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander, if permitted
• Rock salt to taste
• Ghee for cooking
• 3-5 tbsp water, as needed

Method

1. Combine the amaranth flour, potato, peanut powder, cumin, pepper, coriander and rock salt in a bowl.
2. Add water gradually to make a thick, spreadable batter.
3. Heat a pan and grease it lightly with ghee.
4. Spread a portion of the batter into a small pancake.
5. Cook over medium heat until the underside is firm and golden. Flip and cook the other side.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter and serve warm.

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4. Kaddu Ki Sabzi By Chef Vijay Sahu, Chef de Cuisine, Momo Cafe, Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport

This simple pumpkin preparation uses cumin, fennel and turmeric to bring out the vegetable’s natural sweetness. It makes a comforting addition to a festive meal and can be served with vrat-friendly accompaniments, depending on individual fasting practices.

Ingredients

• 500 g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 1½ tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste, using rock salt if required
• ½ cup water, or as needed

Method

1. Wash, peel and cut the pumpkin into medium-sized cubes.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add cumin and fennel seeds and let them release their aroma.
3. Add the pumpkin, turmeric and salt. Mix well.
4. Cover and cook over a low flame for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the pumpkin begins to stick.
5. Once the pumpkin is tender, stir gently and let excess moisture evaporate if you prefer a drier consistency.
6. Serve warm.

5. Saffron Pudding By Chef Anshul Dhyani, Executive Chef, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai

It is a festive dessert made with milk, rice flour, cardamom and nuts. Saffron lends it a golden colour and delicate aroma, while chopped almonds and pistachios add texture. It can be served warm or chilled.

Ingredients

• ½ cup rice flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp saffron strands
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ cup chopped nuts, such as pistachios and almonds
• 2 tbsp ghee
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat the milk until it begins to simmer. Add the saffron strands and let them steep for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the rice flour with a little water to make a smooth paste.
3. Gradually stir the paste into the warm milk, ensuring there are no lumps.
4. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens.
5. Add the ghee and chopped nuts, then stir well.
6. Remove from the heat and transfer to serving bowls. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled.

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6. Sabudana Kheer From Kalpaney

A familiar fasting dessert, sabudana kheer combines tapioca pearls with milk, sugar, cardamom and cashews. The pearls soften as they cook, giving the dessert a creamy consistency. It is a simple option for those who prefer a traditional sweet during Navratri.

Ingredients

• 60 g sabudana
• 208 ml milk
• 15 g sugar
• 2 g cardamom powder
• 15 g cashews

Method

1. Rinse and soak the sabudana according to the variety’s cooking instructions.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan and add the soaked, drained sabudana.
3. Cook over a low flame, stirring regularly, until the pearls turn translucent and soften.
4. Add the sugar and cardamom powder. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
5. Add the cashews and cook briefly until the kheer reaches the desired consistency.
6. Serve warm or chilled.

7. Sweet Potato Chaat From Kalpaney

Roasted sweet potato gets a tangy makeover in this chaat, which combines it with sweet curd, mint chutney, sweet chutney and roasted cumin powder. Sendha namak adds seasoning, making it an option for those who enjoy sweet-and-savoury flavours during the festive season.

Ingredients

• 180 g roasted sweet potato
• 90 g sweet curd
• 10 g mint chutney
• 8 g sweet chutney
• 2 g roasted cumin powder
• 2 g chaat masala
• 1 g sendha namak
• Sev, for garnish

Method

1. Roast the sweet potato until tender, then peel and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Arrange the sweet potato in a bowl or on a plate.
3. Add sweet curd, mint chutney and sweet chutney.
4. Sprinkle with roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and sendha namak.
5. Garnish with sev and serve immediately.

Menu price: ₹445 for a 300 g portion at Kalpaney.

8. Raw Banana Kofta Bites By Chef Atish Saxena, The Club Caters

These kofta bites combine mashed raw banana with a coconut, peanut and pomegranate filling. The balls are coated in buckwheat flour batter and deep-fried until crisp. The filling adds nutty flavours and bursts of sweetness from the pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients

For the kofta

• 1½ cups boiled and mashed raw banana
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp finely chopped green chilli
• 4-6 curry leaves
• ½ tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• Sendha namak to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Oil for deep-frying

For stuffing

• 50 g grated coconut
• 40 g roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 1 chopped chilli
• 10 ml lemon juice
• 10 g sugar
• 20 g pomegranate seeds
• Sendha namak to taste

The batter

• ¾ cup kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour)
• Salt to taste, using sendha namak if required
• Water, as needed

Method

1. Boil the raw bananas with their skins on until fork-tender. Cool, peel and mash until smooth.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle, then add the green chilli and curry leaves.
3. Mix the tempering into the mashed banana with lime juice, sugar, sendha namak and coriander.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the grated coconut, crushed peanuts, chopped chilli, lemon juice, sugar, pomegranate seeds and sendha namak.
5. Whisk the buckwheat flour with salt and enough water to make a thick, smooth batter.
6. Take a small portion of the banana mixture, flatten it in your palm and place a teaspoon of stuffing in the centre. Seal and shape into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture and chill for 15 minutes.
7. Heat oil to approximately 170°C. Dip each ball into the batter, allow excess batter to drip off and carefully lower it into the oil.
8. Fry in batches until golden and crisp. Serve hot with freshly made mint chutney.

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9. Dry Fruit Farali Tokri Chaat Recipe featuring Chheda’s Dry Fruit Farali Mix

This chaat turns soaked sabudana into crispy little baskets filled with roasted sweet potato, curd and chutneys. Chheda’s Dry Fruit Farali Mix adds crunch, while pomegranate seeds bring colour and freshness. Assemble the baskets just before serving to keep them crisp.

Ingredients

For the sabudana tokri

• 1 cup soaked sabudana
• 1-2 tbsp kuttu ka atta
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• Sendha namak to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander, if permitted
• 2-3 tbsp crushed Chheda’s Dry Fruit Farali Mix
• Oil or ghee, as needed

For the filling

• 1 medium roasted sweet potato, chopped
• ½ cup fresh curd
• 2 tbsp vrat-friendly green chutney
• 2 tbsp vrat-friendly sweet chutney
• 2-3 tbsp Chheda’s Dry Fruit Farali Mix
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• Fresh coriander, for garnish

Method

1. Combine the drained sabudana with ginger, sendha namak, pepper, cumin, coriander, kuttu flour and crushed dry fruit mix.
2. Grease small heat-safe bowls or moulds. Press the mixture into them to form thin baskets.
3. Bake or air-fry until golden and crisp, or shallow-fry carefully until firm. Cool slightly before removing from the moulds.
4. Roast the sweet potato until tender, then cut it into small cubes.
5. Place the baskets on serving plates and fill them with sweet potato.
6. Add curd, green chutney and sweet chutney. Garnish with the remaining dry fruit mix, pomegranate seeds and coriander.
7. Serve immediately.

10. Chatpati Banana Chips Bites Recipe featuring Chheda’s Yellow Banana Chips

This quick chaat uses banana chips instead of the usual puri base. Spiced potatoes, chilled curd, chutneys, roasted peanuts and pomegranate create a combination of sweet, tangy and crunchy flavours.

Ingredients

For the spiced potatoes

• 2 medium boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
• Sendha namak to taste
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1-2 tbsp chopped coriander

For assembling

• 1 packet Chheda’s Yellow Banana Chips
• ½ cup chilled curd
• 2 tbsp vrat-friendly green chutney
• 2 tbsp vrat-friendly sweet chutney
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• Fresh coriander, for garnish

Method

1. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the potatoes until lightly golden.
2. Add red chilli powder, sendha namak and cumin powder. Mix well, add coriander and turn off the heat.
3. Arrange the banana chips in a single layer on a serving plate.
4. Spoon the spiced potatoes over the chips. Add curd, green chutney and sweet chutney.
5. Garnish with peanuts, pomegranate seeds, roasted cumin powder and coriander.
6. Serve immediately to retain the crunch.

Which of these recipes are you keen on trying this Navratri?

Cover Image Courtesy: Supplied