Navratri Bhog
Day before yesterday was Navami, and after nine days of clean eating and mindful fasting, I was ready for the grand finale: Kanya Pujan and the much-awaited Navratri Bhog. Now, Kanya Pujan is as adorable as it gets—inviting little girls (kanyas) to your home, treating them like goddesses, and feeding them with all the love and devotion you’ve stored up during the fast. And let me tell you, the menu for this ritual is no small affair—poori, chana, and halwa. Yes, it’s simple, but also the ultimate comfort food that your soul (and your very patient tummy) craves.
So, there I was, feeding the kanyas this heavenly trio and, of course, sneaking a bite or two for myself (because let’s face it, we’ve all earned it by this point!). There’s something incredibly satisfying about this Navratri bhog—it’s not just food, it’s the culmination of the fast, the prayers, and all the restraint you've practiced.
Ingredients for Chana:
- Black chickpeas soaked overnight (kala chana)
- Green chillies (hari mirch)
- Ginger (adrak)
- Cumin (jeera)
- Turmeric (haldi)
- Red chilli powder (kashmiri mirch)
- Coriander powder (dhania)\
- Cumin powder (jeera powder)
- Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- Coriander for garnish (dhania)
- Soaking kala chana overnight or for at least 6-8 hours in water helps to soften the chana and reduces the cooking time. If you forgot to soak your chana, you can still make it but you'll have to pressure cook it for about 45 mins.
- Drain the water and pressure cook the chana with fresh water on medium heat for about 4-5 whistles or until they are tender but not mushy. Once done, drain any excess water and set the cooked chana aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the jeera and let them splutter. This releases the flavor of the cumin into the oil.
- Once the cumin starts crackling, add finely chopped ginger and slit green chilies (adjust to taste). Sauté for a minute until the ginger turns fragrant.
- Now, add haldi, Kashmiri mirch, dhania and jeera powder. Stir the spices well to combine and cook them for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
- Toss the cooked chana into the pan and stir everything together so the chana is coated well with the spice mixture. Add salt to taste and let the chana cook for another 5-7 minutes on low heat to absorb all the flavours.
- Sprinkle garam masala over the chana and give it a final stir. This adds a lovely warmth and depth of flavour to the dish.
- Finally, garnish the chana with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve it hot alongside pooris and halwa as part of the Navratri Bhog.
Ingredients for Poori:
- Whole wheat flour (atta)
- 1 tsp carom seeds for every 2 cups of flour (ajwain)
- Cooking oil (1 tsp for the dough and more for deep drying the pooris)
- Water for kneading the dough
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and carom seeds. Ajwain adds a lovely hint of flavour to the pooris and aids in digestion—perfect for a post-fast feast!
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of cooking oil into the flour mixture. This step helps make the pooris soft and ensures the dough is easier to roll out later.
- Gradually add water, a little at a time, and start kneading the dough. You’re aiming for a firm, smooth dough—not too soft like roti dough, but not too hard either. If the dough is too soft, the pooris may soak up oil, and if it’s too hard, they won’t puff up nicely.
- Once the dough is ready, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting time helps the dough relax and makes rolling out the pooris much easier.
- After the dough has rested, divide it into small, equal-sized balls. For rolling, you can use either dry flour or a bit of oil. Personally, I prefer using a light spray of oil instead of flour, as it helps keep the frying oil clear and clean throughout the process. This trick comes in especially handy when you're frying a large batch of pooris, which is often the case on Navami!
- Spray a tiny bit of oil on the dough balls and roll them out them into small, circular discs about 3-4 inches in diameter. Don’t make them too thin—pooris should be slightly thicker than chapatis for that perfect puff!
- Heat enough cooking oil in a deep pan or kadhai for deep frying. To check if the oil is hot enough, drop a tiny piece of dough into the oil. If it rises to the surface quickly and begins to sizzle, your oil is ready.
- Gently slide one poori at a time into the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon to gently press down on the poori—it will puff up beautifully! Fry until both sides are golden brown, flipping as needed.
- Once the poori is nicely puffed and golden, remove it from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Serve the pooris hot and fresh alongside the chana and halwa for your Navratri bhog feast.
For Halwa, you can follow the recipe here.
Note: I haven’t included specific measurements for the ingredients, as this is for bhog, and the quantities will naturally depend on how many people you're preparing it for. Adjust the spices and portions according to your needs!
Kanya Pujan and breaking the fast on Navami remind us of the joy that simple food can bring, especially when it’s served with love and devotion. The poori, chana, and halwa may seem humble, but they carry with them the essence of the festival—the spirit of celebration, gratitude, and offering.
As the last bite of halwa melted in my mouth, I couldn’t help but smile—a smile of contentment, fulfillment, and maybe just a little victory for making it through nine days of fasting. Navratri is so much more than a religious observance; it’s a chance to reflect, reset, and recharge, both physically and spiritually. And let’s be honest, it’s also a chance to indulge in that glorious Navratri Bhog, which somehow tastes even better after a long fast!
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