Nine Bhog Recipes for Nine Days of Navratri

I am going to share with you my special series on Navratri Bhog recipes! These recipes are not only easy to make but also very delicious. Navratri is a Hindu festival celebrated across India with great fervor. It is dedicated to worshiping the Hindu deity Durga. The festival occurs twice a year, once in the month of Chaitra (March-April) and once in the month of Ashwin (September-October).

I am going to write about Nine Bhog Recipes for Nine Days of Navratri. These are not only easy to make but also very delicious. Welcome to my special series on Navratri Bhog recipes! Navratri, a festival dedicated to worshiping the Hindu deity Durga, is celebrated across India with great fervor.

One of the unique aspects of this festival is the preparation of ‘Bhog’ or food offerings to the Goddess. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to a different avatar of Durga, and it’s a common practice to prepare a special Bhog for each day. In this series, we will explore nine delicious Bhog recipes you can prepare at home during Navratri. So let’s get started!”

Navratri is a nine-day Hindu festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion across India. During this festival, devotees observe fasts and offer prayers to Goddess Durga. Fasting during Navratri is considered to be an act of purification and devotion.

Navratri

Navratri is a Hindu festival that people celebrate with great enthusiasm and devotion in India. During the nine-day festival, people worship Goddess Durga, observe fasts, and offer prayers. The festival is also famous for its vibrant and colorful Garba and Dandiya Raas dances. Both men and women perform these dances to traditional music.

Durga Puja is a major Hindu festival that people celebrate with great enthusiasm in India, especially in West Bengal. The festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, who is considered the embodiment of feminine energy. During Navratri, people observe fasts and offer prayers to Goddess Durga. The festival is also known for its vibrant and colorful Garba and Dandiya Raas dances, which both men and women perform to traditional music.

The Bhog, which is a vegetarian meal that devotees distribute on the seventh (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami), and ninth (Navami) day of the festival, is an important part of Durga Puja. It mainly comprises delicious Bengali dishes like khichuri, chorchori, chutney, beguni or begun bhaja, luchi, payesh, mishti doi, or roshogolla.

This year, Durga Puja started on October 15th, 2023. The first day of Durga Puja begins with the installation of the Kalash of Ghatsthapana. During the nine days of Durga Puja, people worship nine different forms of Maa Durga.

Here are some rules and customs of fasting during Navratri:

Devotees fast for nine days during Navratri. Some people fast for the entire nine days, while others fast only on the first and last day of the festival.

During Navratri, people avoid eating non-vegetarian food, grains, and certain vegetables like onion and garlic. Instead, they consume fruits, milk products, nuts, and vrat-friendly grains like buckwheat flour, water chestnut flour, and amaranth flour.

During Navratri, people maintain purity in their thoughts and actions. They avoid negative thoughts and actions and try to stay positive.

People offer prayers to Goddess Durga during Navratri. They visit temples and perform puja at home.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for the fast:

• Plan your meals in advance so that you can avoid last-minute confusion.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids during the fast.
• Eat small meals throughout the day instead of having one large meal.
• Avoid fried food as it can cause indigestion.
• Stay active by engaging in light physical activity like walking or yoga during the fast.
• Get enough rest to avoid feeling tired or weak during the fast.

Below are the List of Bhog items offered to each of the nine goddesses during Navratri:

1st Day of Navratri: On the first day of Navratri, devotees worship Maa Shailputri, who is also known as Parvati. She is depicted holding a trident and a lotus. Pure desi ghee is offered to her as Bhog.

2nd Day of Navratri: On the second day of Navratri, devotees worship Maa Brahmacharini, who is depicted holding a rosary in one hand and a kamandal in the other. Sugar is offered to her as Bhog.

3rd Day of Navratri: On the 3rd day of Navratri, Maa Chandraghanta is served Kheer. She is depicted with ten hands, holding weapons such as a sword, a bow, and arrows.

4th day of Navratri: On the 4th day of Navratri, Maa Kushmanda is served Malpua. She is depicted with eight hands, holding weapons such as a bow, arrows, and a discus.

5th Day of Navratri: On the 5th day of Navratri Maa Skandmata is served Bananas. She is depicted holding her son Skanda or Kartikeya in her lap.

6th Day of Navratri: On the 6th day of Navratri Maa Katyayani is served Honey. She is depicted with four hands, holding weapons such as a sword and a lotus.

7th Day of Navratri: On the 7th day Maa Kaalratri is served Jaggery or any sweets made with jaggery. She is depicted with four hands, holding weapons such as a sword and a trident.

8thDay of Navratri: On the 8th day Maa Mahagauri is served Coconut. She is depicted with four hands, holding weapons such as a trident and a drum.

9th day of Navratri: Maa Siddhidatri is served Sesame seeds. She is depicted with four hands, holding weapons such as a mace and a lotus.

Please note that this is a non-exhaustive list and there might be variations in the Bhog items offered in different regions.

Below are 9 Bhog recipes that could be served to Goddess Durga during Navratri.

Recipe 1–

Kheer is a popular Indian sweet dessert that people make with basmati rice, whole milk, nuts, and saffron. It is easy to make and requires only one pan or pot. Kheer is basically Indian rice pudding and makes for a creamy delicious sweet dessert. Here are some recipes that you can follow to make Kheer at home. On the 3rd day of Navratri, people worship Maa Chandraghanta. A popular Bhog for this day is Kheer, a delicious Indian dessert made with rice and milk. Here’s a simple recipe:

Ingredients:

• Regular/Basmati rice 1/4 cup
• 1 liter Milk or as required to adjust the consistency as per choice
• Sugar 1/2 cup
• Saffron strands 10-12
• 2 tbsp Mixed nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Raisins)

Instructions:

• Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the soaked rice and cook on low heat until the rice is soft and the milk has reduced to half.
• Cook for another 5 minutes after adding sugar and saffron strands.
• Garnish with mixed nuts and serve hot or chilled.

Recipe 2-

Fruit Salad – A sugar-free fruit salad is a healthy and refreshing Bhog that elderly members can enjoy during a sugar-free fasting/Vrat diet. It can be easily prepared at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup grapes
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• Juice of one lemon
• A pinch of black salt

Instructions:

1. Rinse the apple, banana, and grapes under cold water.
2. Cut the apple and banana into small pieces.
3. Cut the grapes in half.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the apple, banana, grapes, and pomegranate seeds.

Recipe 3-

Missi Roti is a popular Indian bread that people can include in their Bhog. It is typically made with gram flour and can be enjoyed with any vegetable curry or dal of your choice. You can easily prepare Missi Roti at home using some common ingredients such as gram flour, cumin powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, moong dal, garam masala, and salt as per taste. Dwaraka Organic’s products are easily available at nearby grocery stores and people can use them to make this bread at home.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour 1 and a 1/2 cup wheat flour
• Cumin powder
• Red chili powder 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder
• Moong dal 1/4 cup moong dal
• Garam masala 1 taespoon
• Salt as per taste
• Add water as required to form a dough

Instructions:

• To prepare the dough for moong dal roti, rinse and clean the moong dal thoroughly. Soak the moong dal in hot or warm water for a few hours or until it is slightly soft. Then drain out the water in a separate bowl and keep it to use later to mix and knead a dough.
• Next, mix all the ingredients to form a dough.
• Roll out the dough into rotis and cook them on a hot tawa.
• Serve hot with any vegetable curry or dal of your choice.

Recipe 4-

Sabudana Kheer is a delicious Indian dessert that people can easily prepare at home with just three main ingredients: milk, sabudana, and sugar. It’s a creamy and easy-to-make dessert that is sure to delight your taste buds!

Ingredients:

• Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls) 1/2 cup
• Milk 1 litre
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• Saffron strands 10-12
• Mixed nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Raisins) 2 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Soak the sabudana in water overnight for best results and easy cook.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the soaked sabudana and cook on low heat until the sabudana becomes transparent.
3. Add sugar and saffron strands and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Garnish with mixed nuts/fruits and serve hot or chilled.

Recipe 5-

Aloo Tamatar ki sabzi is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that goes great with any rotis or puris/payasam. It can be served to Maa Durga as well.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Cumin seeds
• Turmeric powder
• Red chili powder
• Coriander powder
• Salt as per taste

Instructions:

• To prepare the potatoes for the dish, boil them and peel them.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add chopped tomatoes.
• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
• Add the boiled potatoes and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes.
• Serve hot with roti or rice.

Recipe 6-

Sabudana Khichdi is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is also fulfilling and healthy. It would be great if served as a Bhog to Maa Durga during the days of Navratri.

Ingredients:

• Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls)
• Peanuts
• Tomato chopped (optional, this is added to make the Khichri soft and juicy)
• Green chilies
• Cumin seeds
• Lemon juice
• Salt as per taste

Instructions:

• To prepare the sabudana for the dish, soak it in water overnight (small pearls of sabudana work better).
• Roast peanuts, remove the skin, and coarsely grind them.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and green chilies.
• Add the soaked sabudana, ground peanuts, some chopped tomatoes (optional), some salt, and lemon juice.
• Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
• Serve hot and enjoy.

Recipe 7-

Singhare Atte Ki Puri is a popular Indian bread that people often prepare during Hindu religious fasting days like Navratri fasting. It is made with water chestnut flour, mashed potatoes, edible rock salt, and a few spices. People can easily prepare this bread at home using some common ingredients such as gram flour, cumin powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, moong dal, garam masala, and salt as per taste. Here’s the recipe that you can follow to make Singhare Atte Ki Puri at home.

Ingredients:

• Singhare ka atta (Water Chestnut Flour)
• Rock salt
• Cumin seeds
• Water
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

• To prepare the dough for the puris, mix the flour, salt, and cumin seeds in a bowl.
• Gradually add water and knead into a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into small portions and roll them out into puris.
• Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the puris until they turn golden brown.
• Serve hot with aloo tamatar sabzi.

Recipe 8 –

Maharashtra, India is known for its popular snack, Sabudana vada. To prepare this snack, mix sago or tapioca pearls, boiled potatoes, roasted peanuts, and spices such as cumin seeds, ginger paste, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Shape the mixture into patties and deep-fry them until crispy and golden brown. People often consume Sabudana vada during Hindu fasting periods and typically serve it with spicy green chutney and hot chai.

Ingredients:

• Sabudana (small-sized Tapioca Pearls, should be completely soft)
• Boiled and grated potatoes
• Peanuts crushed
• Green chilies
• Cumin seeds
• Lemon juice
• Pinch of sugar
• Chopped Coriander leaves
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

1. Soak the sabudana in water overnight.
2. Next, Roast peanuts, remove the skin and coarsely grind them.
3. In a bowl, mix soaked sabudana, boiled potatoes, ground peanuts, chopped green chilies, cumin seeds, lemon juice, coriander leaves, salt, and a pinch of sugar.
4. Mix them nicely and then shape the mixture into small vadas.
5. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the vadas until golden brown.
6. Serve hot with green chutney.

Recipe 9 –

People often prepare Til Ke Laddoo, a delicious Indian sweet, during Hindu religious fasting days such as Shivratri, Ekadashi, or Navratri fasting. To make this sweet, mix sesame seeds, jaggery, peanuts, and coconut. This sweet is rich in nutrients and provides a good source of energy. Here is a recipe that you can follow to make Til Ke Laddoo at home and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• Sesame seeds
• Jaggery
• Ghee
• Cardamom powder

Instructions:

• Roast 1 cup sesame seeds in a pan until they turn golden brown.
• Add 1 cup jaggery to the pan and mix well.
• Cook the mixture on low heat until it comes together and the jaggery melts.
• Add 1/2 tsp cardamom powder and mix well.
• Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
• Once cooled, add 2 tbsp ghee to the mixture and mix well.
• Roll small portions of the mixture into balls.

That concludes our series of nine Bhog recipes for the nine days of Navratri! But remember, these are just suggestions and you can always modify these recipes according to your taste and dietary requirements. Enjoy your Navratri celebrations with these delicious Bhog recipes that can be prepared easily at home.

People across India celebrate Navratri, a nine-day Hindu festival, with great enthusiasm and devotion. The festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, who is considered to be the embodiment of divine feminine energy. Navratri occurs twice a year, once in the month of Chaitra (March-April) and once in the month of Ashwin (September-October).

We hope you enjoyed these recipes and will try them out during your Navratri celebrations. Remember, these are just suggestions and you can always modify these recipes according to your taste and dietary requirements. Enjoy your Navratri celebrations with these delicious Bhog recipes! Don’t forget to share your experiences and any new recipe ideas in the comments section below. Stay tuned for more exciting recipes. Happy Navratri!”

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