Navratri 2026- 5 Vrat Recipes To Make Your Fasting Food Menu Exciting

Navratri fasting often involves preparing familiar dishes, but eating the same recipes throughout the nine-day festival can become monotonous. This Navratri, you can add some variety to your fasting menu by experimenting with simple, delicious recipes while following traditional vrat food guidelines. From soft sama chawal idlis and crispy singhara cheelas to flavourful paneer seekh kebabs and creamy rajgira kheer, these easy Navratri 2026 recipes offer a refreshing twist to traditional fasting meals. They are perfect for making your festive food more interesting without compromising on taste.

# Sama Chawal Idli

Ingredients

Sama chawal – 1 cup
Sabudana – ½ cup
Water – as required
Baking soda – ¼ teaspoon
Sendha namak – as per taste

How to prepare: Wash and soak the sama chawal and sabudana separately for a few hours. Drain the water and grind both ingredients with fresh water until you get a smooth batter. Cover and leave it to ferment overnight. Before cooking, add sendha namak and baking soda, mixing gently. Pour the batter into greased idli moulds and steam until the idlis are thoroughly cooked. Serve warm with a chutney suitable for fasting.

# Singhara Atta Cheela

Ingredients

Singhara atta – 1 cup
Boiled potato – 1 medium
Green chilli – 1
Fresh coriander – 2 tablespoons
Sendha namak – ½ teaspoon
Water – as required
Oil or ghee – for cooking

How to prepare

Peel and mash the boiled potato in a bowl. Add singhara atta, finely chopped green chilli, fresh coriander and sendha namak. Gradually pour in water, stirring continuously to prepare a smooth batter of spreading consistency. Heat a tawa and lightly grease it with oil or ghee. Pour a ladleful of batter onto the tawa and spread it evenly. Cook on both sides until the cheela turns golden and develops a slightly crisp texture. Enjoy it hot with a vrat-friendly chutney or curd, if permitted during your fast.

# Vrat Paneer Seekh Kebab

Ingredients

Homemade paneer – 1 cup, crumbled
Hung curd – 1 cup
Sendha namak – as per taste
Black pepper – as per taste
Cardamom powder – 2 pinches
Cumin powder – 2 pinches
Fresh coriander – as required
Green chilli – 1, finely chopped
Vrat-friendly rice flour – as required

How to prepare

Place the homemade paneer and hung curd in a bowl and mix them thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth. Add sendha namak, black pepper, cardamom powder, cumin powder, chopped coriander and green chilli. Gradually incorporate vrat-friendly rice flour until the mixture holds together and forms a soft, semi-solid dough. Refrigerate or freeze the mixture for about an hour to make shaping easier. Divide it into portions and shape each portion around a seekh. Cook over a low flame, turning occasionally, until the kebabs are cooked through and lightly golden on all sides. Serve hot with a fasting-friendly dip.

# Farali Dosa

Ingredients

Sama rice – 1 cup
Sabudana – ½ cup
Curd – ½ cup
Boiled potato – 1 medium
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Green chilli – 1
Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Black pepper – ¼ teaspoon
Fresh coriander – 2 tablespoons
Sendha namak – as per taste
Ghee – for cooking

How to prepare

Rinse and soak the sama rice and sabudana separately for a few hours. Drain them and grind with curd and a little water to prepare a smooth batter. Add the mashed boiled potato, grated ginger, chopped green chilli, cumin seeds, black pepper, fresh coriander and sendha namak. Mix well and adjust the consistency with water if needed. Heat a non-stick tawa, spread a thin layer of batter in a circular motion and drizzle a little ghee around the edges. Cook until the underside turns golden and crisp, then carefully flip and cook the other side. Serve immediately with a chutney prepared using ingredients allowed during your fast.

# Rajgira Ki Kheer

Ingredients

Rajgira – ½ cup
Milk – 1 litre
Sugar – ½ cup, or as per taste
Almonds – 10
Cashews – 10
Raisins – 1 tablespoon
Saffron – a few strands
Cardamom powder – ½ teaspoon

How to prepare

Rinse the rajgira if required and drain it well. Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed pan, then add the rajgira. Cook over a low flame, stirring regularly to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom. Continue cooking until the rajgira softens and the milk thickens to a creamy consistency. Add sugar, chopped almonds, cashews, raisins, saffron strands and cardamom powder. Simmer for another few minutes until the flavours blend well. Turn off the heat and allow the kheer to cool slightly. Serve warm or refrigerate it for a chilled festive dessert.