Chaitra Navratri Desserts: Sabudana Kheer, Makhana Kheer, and Almond Coconut Barfi

Written by Jheelum Basu | July 16, 2024

Chaitra Navratri is a Hindu religious festival that spans over nine nights, usually in March and April. During this period, many people observe a fast where they refrain from eating grains, onion, garlic, meat, and animal products such as eggs. Keeping in mind these restrictions, here are some Navratri fasting desserts for you to try. These quick Indian dessert recipes you can make at home and share with your friends, family, and neighbors.

Introduction To Chaitra Navratri Desserts

Celebrated in March or April, Chaitra Navratri is a sacred nine-day Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga's nine avatars. And one such auspicious occasion is never complete without sweets and desserts. While fasting is an integral part of the sacred rituals, the sweets and desserts made with natural ingredients are always considered healthy for breaking the fast. Made with Navratri-friendly ingredients like milk, fruits, nuts, and alternative flours, desserts like sabudana kheer, makhana kheer, and almond coconut barfi, perfectly fit the occasion.

Sabudana Kheer

Ingredients:

• 45 gm sabudana
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 240 ml water
• 240 ml milk
• 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
• 2-3 tbsp chopped nuts
• 1 tbsp soaked raisins

Instructions:

1. Rinse the sabudana well and then let it soak in water for a few hours or overnight. This will help soften the sabudana pearls and reduce the cooking process.

2. Drain the water and add them into a pot with 240 ml of water. Let them cook until the pearls become translucent.

3. Add 240 ml of milk to the pot at this stage, and let the pearls cook in the milk and the mixture thicken.

4. Now add cardamom powder and sugar to the kheer. Mix and stir well. If the kheer is too thick, then loosen it with more milk.

5. Pour into a serving dish.

6. Fry the chopped nuts and soaked raisins in ghee until golden and fragrant. Garnish the kheer with them and serve it either warm or cold.

Makhana Kheer

Ingredients:

• 80 gm makhana (fox nuts)
• 450 ml milk
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 10-12 blanched and sliced almonds
• 3 tbsp raisins soaked in water
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Pinch of saffron
• 2 tbsp ghee

Instructions:

1. Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the makhanas until golden and crunchy. Set them aside to cool.

2. Heat milk with sugar, bring it to a boil, then let it reduce and thicken on low heat. Mix regularly to prevent it from scorching.

3. Grind ⅓ of the roasted makhana into a fine powder along with a pinch of saffron. Add this to the milk to further thicken it.

4. Then add the sugar and ensure it is completely dissolved, followed by the teaspoon of cardamom powder.

5. Now add the whole, roasted makhanas and let them soften and cook in this mixture. This should take about 10 minutes.

6. Now add the blanched almonds, followed by the soaked raisins. Let the pudding simmer on low heat for a minute or two.

7. Transfer into a serving dish and refrigerate. Enjoy it cold after your Navratri lunch or dinner.

Almond Coconut Barfi

Ingredients:

• 60 gm freshly grated coconut
• 35 gm blanched almonds
• 100 gm brown sugar
• 1 tsp white poppy seeds
• 2-3 tbsp water
• Ghee

Instructions:

1. Soak the poppy seeds in water, then blanch the almonds in hot water and peel them.

2. Drain the poppy seeds and then grind them into a paste.

3. Add freshly grated coconut and the blanched almonds too, and grind them into a paste.

4. Line a thali or baking sheet with some melted ghee and set it aside.

5. Then cook the coconut and almond paste in a saucepan. It will first bubble and then lose its moisture and turn into a dough, something similar to a choux pastry dough.

6. Flatten it into the greased thali and let it cool. Cut into diamonds and decorate with an almond if you want.

7. You can also roll the dough into ladoos and dip them into desiccated coconut.

Cultural Significance Of Navratri Sweets

Traditions and Practices

Be it for breaking the fasts or serving them as daily offerings or naivedyam made for Goddess Durga, sweets are an indispensable part of the traditions and practices. And, across regions in India, the Navratri fasting desserts vary.

In the northern and central regions, devotees break the fast with Singhare Atte Ka Halwa (water chestnut flour pudding), aloo ka halwa (potato pudding), and makhana kheer. In the western region, the popular items include Puran Poli and Basundi. In the kitchens of Southern India, people often make delicacies like Sakkarai Pongal and payasam. In eastern states, the occasion is celebrated with sandesh, mishti doi, and payesh.

Symbolism of Ingredients

The Navratri fasting desserts are usually made with fasting-friendly ingredients like milk, sugar, jaggery, desi ghee, nuts, and alternative flours. As whole wheat or wheat flours are not allowed, people most commonly use Singhade ka atta or water chestnut flour, or nut-based flours. Samak ke chawal or barnyard millet is another common ingredient alongside sabudana or sago pearls. Besides how delicious they taste, all these ingredients used in spiritual offerings also represent purity, spiritual energy, and devotion.

Tips for Perfect Navratri Desserts

Ingredient Substitutions

As Chaitra Navratri desserts need to be fasting-friendly, one may simply substitute regular flour with chestnut flour or may opt for samak (barnyard millet). For an earthy note in the desserts, refined sugar can be replaced with jaggery as well.

Preparation Tips

For perfect Chaitra Navaratri sweets and desserts, follow these tips and tricks. If you want to avoid sticky sabudana, soak the pearls in water for at least 2 to 3 Hours to get rid of the excess starch. For a creamy, flavorful makhana kheer, it is essential to dry roast or ghee-roast the makhanas. This enhances the flavor profile and takes away the raw taste. For an elevated earthy note, one may consider using jaggery instead of refined sugar.