Navratri Fasting, Chicago Style: Eating Well on a Budget

Navratri, the nine-night Hindu festival, is a time of spiritual reflection, devotion, and often, fasting. For many in Chicago’s vibrant Indian community, observing the Navratri fast means adhering to specific dietary restrictions, which can sometimes feel challenging, especially when trying to eat well on a budget. But fear not! Eating healthy and affordably during Navratri is entirely possible. Here’s a guide to delicious, budget-friendly fasting recipes, Chicago style.

Understanding Navratri Fasting

Navratri fasting traditions vary, but generally, observers avoid grains (like wheat and rice), legumes, onions, garlic, and sometimes certain spices. Common ingredients allowed include fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, and specific flours like buckwheat (kuttu) and water chestnut (singhara).

Budget-Friendly Fasting Recipes

1. Sabudana Khichdi (Tapioca Pearl Stir-fry)

This popular dish is light, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. Tapioca pearls are inexpensive and widely available.

• Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sabudana (tapioca pearls), soaked
  • 1 potato, boiled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp ghee or oil
  • Salt to taste (rock salt if strictly fasting)
  • Fresh cilantro and lemon wedge for garnish

• Instructions:

  1. Soak sabudana for 4-5 hours or overnight until soft.
  2. Heat ghee/oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and green chili. Sauté for a minute.
  3. Add boiled potato cubes and peanuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add soaked sabudana and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sabudana turns translucent.
  5. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice.

2. Kuttu ki Puri with Aloo ki Sabzi (Buckwheat Flatbread with Potato Curry)

A comforting and filling meal, perfect for a fasting day. Buckwheat flour (kuttu atta) is a common fasting flour.

• Ingredients:

  • For Puri: 1 cup kuttu atta, water for kneading, oil for frying
  • For Sabzi: 2 potatoes, boiled and cubed; 1 tomato, chopped; 1 green chili, chopped; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp ghee/oil; salt to taste

• Instructions:

  1. Puri: Knead kuttu atta with water and salt into a firm dough. Roll into small puris and deep fry until puffed and golden.
  2. Sabzi: Heat ghee/oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and green chili. Sauté. Add chopped tomato and cook until soft. Add boiled potato cubes and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Fruit Chaat (Spiced Fruit Salad)

A refreshing and naturally sweet option, packed with vitamins.

• Ingredients:

  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1 banana, sliced
  • 1/2 cup grapes
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • Rock salt to taste
  • Squeeze of lemon juice

• Instructions:

  1. Combine all chopped fruits in a bowl.
  2. Sprinkle with black pepper, cumin powder, and rock salt. Add lemon juice.
  3. Toss gently and serve chilled.

Shopping for Fasting Ingredients in Chicago

• Jewel-Osco: Many Jewel-Osco stores, especially those in areas with a significant Indian population, will stock sabudana, kuttu atta, and fresh produce like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruits.
• Local Indian Grocery Stores: For a wider variety of fasting-specific flours, spices, and fresh produce, visit Indian grocery stores on Devon Avenue or in suburbs like Schaumburg and Naperville.

Observing Navratri fasting doesn’t have to be a culinary challenge. With these budget-friendly recipes and smart shopping tips, you can eat well and stay nourished throughout the festival. Wishing you a blessed Navratri!