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Navratri platter gets bigger and tastier!
As the festival of Navratri begins on Monday, chefs in the city have added new dishes to the festive platter for the Lucknowites who are busy fasting
As the festival of Navratri begins on Monday, chefs in the city have added new dishes to the festive platter for the Lucknowites who are busy fasting. Besides the regular fasting recipes interesting dishes, sweet delicacies and salads are on the offing for the food lovers.
Veg Chinese sizzler, Kung pao paneer, Cottage cheese Hawaiin salad, Kacche kele ki tikki, Dosa, Singhare ke atte ka samosa, Sabudana bhel, Arbi seekh kebab, Honey chilly paneer are some of the delicacies are the new entrants on the festive table. While, added to the dessert list is All fruit smoothie, Papaya shake, Sabudana kheer with seeds-nuts and Lauki ka halwa.
“Navratri food is always prepared with full sanctity and we have noticed that non fasting lot too, enjoys savouring it during Navratri. Besides traditional thali, we have introduced Vrat wala dosa, Arbi seekh kebab and Samosa and patrons truly love trying out new dishes which are not available in regular course,” tells executive chef Avinash Kumar. He has introduced a day-wise menu at Brio Art Café at Hotel Ramada.
Gomti Nagar based Pack-n-Chew restaurant has come up with fusion fasting snack in addition to their Navratri platter which includes sizzlers, wedges, tikkas and Chinese menu all prepared with ingredients allowed during the fasting.
As healthy eating is a prime focus for many, cooks have come up with multiple options to create the special menu. “Most of the items used during fasting are fried so as a change we are offering some healthy options like Navratri special rice with grilled paneer and sauté veggies in special gravy, Nutty papaya shake, Fruit smoothie and Bhuna paneer thali with roti, salad and kheer,” tells Purnendu Majudar of DND: Daily Nutritional Diet.
Foodie Rahool Verma shares that he does not fast but still makes it a point to try the new dishes. “I simply love these dishes and since I am not eating any form of non-veg in those days so I make it a point to try fasting dishes specially paneer chilly and range of sweet items,” he adds.
Executive manager F&B and Chef Lalit Dutta at Clarks Avadh tells that around 15-20% people consume from the available fasting menu. “It’s a high percentage so the food team has no choice but to offer new variety of items that patrons can relish in this period,” he adds.
Arbi seekh kebab
By Avinash Kumar
Ingredients:
250 gram arbi
3-4 tbsp kuttu ka aata)
1 green chili
1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp carom seeds
As required rock salt
2-3 tsp oil
For the dip:
Few sprigs mint
100 gram curd
50 gram cucumber, finely chopped
For garnishing pomegranate
Method:
Boil the arbi in a pressure cooker or in a pan till it becomes soft.
Peel them all and add the rest of the ingredients.
Mash well and mix everything uniformly.
While shaping the kofta, you can apply some oil on your palms as the mixture is sticky.
Shape into cylinders and pan fry them with some oil till golden brown.
Mint Yogurt Dip:
Hang yogurt to drain excess water.
Mix chopped mint and cucumber to the yogurt.
Serve Arbi Kofta hot with mint yogurt dip.
