While Navratri is a time for celebration and merry making, the first half of the day is spent by many in observance of a fast. While fasting during festivals serves the purpose of spiritual gratification along with a sharpening of self-discipline. That being said, this is also the time to get experimental in the kitchen as you whip up simple but gratifying vrat special delicacies to make it through the days. While a hearty plate of sabudana khichdi is as fast-appropriate as it gets, there's no reason why vrat-friendly foods cannot, as the OG foodies like to profess, 'hit the spot'. Food blogger Neha Deepak Shah, knows just how to add an extra punch of taste (and colour!) in this regard.
Vrat waale sabudana momos
The best thing about Neha's recipe here, is that the list of ingredients can very easily be switched out for alternatives, depending on the dietary restrictions you may be adhering to for this 9-day stretch. Read on.
Ingredients: For momo sheets — Sabudana - 1 cup, Water - 1 cup, Butter fly blue pea flowers; For filling — Crumbled paneer, Chopped chillies, Grated ginger, Chopped coriander, Spices (as per the flavour profile you desire); For topping — Coriander oil (coriander, chilli, sendha namak and carrier oil of your choice), Crushed peanuts
Method: Start by boiling the butter fly blue pea flowers (also known as Aparajita flowers) in some water to get the bright blue tinge which just doubles the excitement as you're whipping up the recipe. This is the water in which you will be soaking your sabudana, or Sago pearls. As the sabudana soaks, move your attention to the filling. Ensure that the paneer is firm and not watery as the filling will hold form better this way as you steam your momos. Add in the chopped chillis, grated ginger and chopped coriander with some of your favourite spices. Considering this is a vrat-special recipe, the suggestion is to keep things simple. Now once the sabudana is soaked, you will notice it has taken on a lovely lilac colour. Mash the pearls with your hands till you achieve a dough-like ball. Take some out and flatten with your palms. Don't attempt to roll them out as is the case with a standard momo recipe, they will not hold. Take some filling and fold it in, potli-style. Now steam this as you would steam your stereotypical momos. As your vrat-friendly momos cook to completion, they will take on a beautiful translucent blue colour. Line them up on a plate and top off with the coriander oil and crushed peanuts.
{{/usCountry}}Method: Start by boiling the butter fly blue pea flowers (also known as Aparajita flowers) in some water to get the bright blue tinge which just doubles the excitement as you're whipping up the recipe. This is the water in which you will be soaking your sabudana, or Sago pearls. As the sabudana soaks, move your attention to the filling. Ensure that the paneer is firm and not watery as the filling will hold form better this way as you steam your momos. Add in the chopped chillis, grated ginger and chopped coriander with some of your favourite spices. Considering this is a vrat-special recipe, the suggestion is to keep things simple. Now once the sabudana is soaked, you will notice it has taken on a lovely lilac colour. Mash the pearls with your hands till you achieve a dough-like ball. Take some out and flatten with your palms. Don't attempt to roll them out as is the case with a standard momo recipe, they will not hold. Take some filling and fold it in, potli-style. Now steam this as you would steam your stereotypical momos. As your vrat-friendly momos cook to completion, they will take on a beautiful translucent blue colour. Line them up on a plate and top off with the coriander oil and crushed peanuts.
{{/usCountry}}Pro-tip: A simple way to make coriander oil is to just steep some vegetable oil with finely chopped coriander, chopped chillies and sendha namak).
Happy fasting!