Navratri 2022 special recipes: Vrat-friendly delicious raita recipes

Navratri 2022: The festival of Navratri is here to honour goddess Durga. Keeping fast on Navratri is considered auspicious and Hindu devotees fast for nine days to please and seek the blessings of Goddess Durga. However, during fast, there is always confusion about what to eat and what to not. While fasting it is equally important to consume foods that are nutritious and fulfil your caloric requirement so that you are not tired and exhausted by the end of the day. Raitas are great vrat recipes as they are easy to make, high in protein and rich in fiber. From cucumber raita to pineapple raita, here are some of the tastiest vrat-friendly raita recipes. (Also read: Navratri 2022 special recipes: Delectable vrat-friendly sweet desserts to make )

1. Cucumber Raita

(Recipe by Instagram/@plateup_withriddhi)

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl of homemade curd
• 1 cucumber (peeled and grated)
• A handful of chopped coriander / parsley/ mint
• A pinch black salt, jeera powder and red chilli powder

Method:

1. Take a bowl of homemade curd and add grated cucumber.
2. Add all the spices and mix well.
3. You can squeeze out the excess water from the grated cucumber if needed or you can retain it too.
4. Mix it well and garnish it with cucumber and mint leaves. Serves cool.

2. Beetroot Raita

(Recipe by Instagram/@dietician_tanyaskapoor)

Ingredients:

• Beetroot (grated) – 2 cup
• Water – 1 cup + ¼ cup
• Green chili – 1 finely chopped
• Ginger – 1 inch piece
• Garlic – 3 cloves
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Curd/ yogurt – ½ cup
• Rock salt as per taste

For tempering –

• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
• Dried red chili – 2
• Curry leaves 1 sprig
• Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cook the grated beetroot with 1 cup water and enough rock salt, for about 10 – 15 minutes.

2. Meantime, take green chili, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds in a grinder with ¼ cup water and grind to a paste.

3. Add this to the cooked beetroot and combine well. Cook for another 3 – 4 minutes. Let it rest and cool for 5 minutes.

4. Whisk the curd very swiftly and make it smooth then add it to the beetroot.

5. For tempering heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and let it splutter.

6. Add dried red chili and curry leaves to this and saute for few seconds. Remove from flame and add this to the beetroot pachadi and serve hot with plain rice or can enjoy as it is or even as a side to your meal.

3. Pineapple Raita

(Recipe by Instagram/@lovedelicioushealthyfood)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pureed fresh pineapple
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 1 Cup – Fresh Pineapple chunks
• 1 Cup fresh curd
• 1 tsp – roasted powdered cumin
• 1/2 tsp – Kashmiri red chilli powder
• Rock salt as per taste

Method:

1. Add pureed pineapple to a pan and whisk for a while, add sugar and let it simmer for sometime.

2. Then add chunks of pineapple and let it simmer till the raw smell goes away. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool

3. Take 1 Cup of curd whisk it well, add the cooled pureed pineapple, add salt, roasted cumin and chilly powder .

4. Mix well and refrigerate it. Serve with biryani, pulao or any Punjabi food.

4. Potato Raita

(Recipe by Instagram/@whiskaffair)

Ingredients:

• 250 g Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tsp Black Salt
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Green Chilli chopped
• 1 tbsp Mint chopped
• 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup Potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed

For tempering:

• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 Dry Red Chilli
• 10-12 Curry Leaves

Method:

1. Whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy.

2. Add all the ingredients to make raita in the curd and mix well.

3. Heat oil for tempering in a pan.

4. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds.

5. Pour the tempering over the raita and mix well. Chill the raita for a few hours and serve.

5. Palak Raita

(Recipe by Instagram/@raw_hangry_women)

Ingredient:

• 2 cups curd
• 2 cup Spinach Leaves (Palak), finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin/Jeera Powder, Black Pepper Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Salt
• Rock salt as per taste

For Seasoning:

• ½ teaspoon Oil
• ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds/ Rai
• ½ teaspoon White Urad Dal (Split)
• Few Curry Leaves

Method:

1. To begin making the Spinach Raita (Keerai Pachadi), heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan; add the cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

2. Add chopped spinach and sauté on medium to high heat until tender and most of the water is evaporated.

3. Set aside and allow the spinach to cool completely. Whisk together the yoghurt, cumin powder, red chilli powder, black pepper black salt and salt.

4. Fold the cooled spinach mixture into the whisked yogurt. Transfer to a serving dish and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

5. The final step is to make the seasoning. Heat oil in a tadka pan; add the seasoning ingredients and allow it to crackle. Once it crackles, turn off the heat.

6. Pour the seasoning onto the Palak Raita serve it with Parathas or as a side dish along with your main course meal.

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