Devotees observe strict fasting during the festival. While some keep nirjal or waterless fasts, others eat fruits. With the changing times, people no longer observe stringent fasts, they eat curd, certain other vegetables during the day. Special fast dishes are available at quite a few eating joints for the convenience of devotees.

Fast Recipes

• Shrikhand
• Singhare ki Poori
• Pedha
• Til ki Kheer (Sesame Pudding)
• Aloo/Arwi ki Chaat

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients :

1 kg. Curd (Put in a muslin cloth and hung for 2-3 hours)
1 tbsp Warm milk
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp Cardamom (Green/Small Elaichi) powder
A few Saffron Strands (Optional)
Slivers of Pistachios & Almonds (optional)

Method of Preparation:

Mix saffron in milk and keep it aside. Take a bowl and put Curd, sugar, saffron mixture and cardamom. Mix all the ingredients well either manually or with the help of a blender. Garnish it with almonds and pistachios.

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Singhara Flour
1/4 Cup boiled, mashed Potatoes
1/4 Cup Chopped Spinach
1 tbsp oil
2 chopped green chillies
2 tsp Ajwain seeds
1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil for Deep Frying

Method of Preparation :

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Knead the dough and make small pooris with hand or a rolling pin. Add less quantity of water as compared to what used while kneading wheat flour. Add cooking oil in a pan and fry pooris till dark brown and crisp. Serve it with curd and pickle.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

500 gms Khoya, crushed.
300 gms powdered sugar
8 to 10 pistachios sliced
2-3 drops food colour (optional)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
Cookie moulds (If needed)

Method of Preparation :

Mix khoya with sugar in a pan. Heat on low flame, stirring continuously. Cook till mixture thickens. Cool for 10 minutes. Add cardamom powder & food colour. Mix well. Take a small handful of mixture and press into the cookie mould. Turn out carefully. Press 2-3 slices of pistachio in the center. Delicious Pedhas are ready to eat.

Ingredients:

100 gm White til
100 gm Desiccated coconut fresh or dry
40 gm Sugar
1 tbsp Raisins
1 tbsp Cashew nuts broken and soaked in warm water
4-5 no Green Cardamom
1 ltr Full cream milk
1 tin Condensed milk

Method of Preparation :

1. Dry roast til and crush them. Keep aside.
2. Pour milk in a sauce pan and boil for 10 minutes. Stir continuously.
3. Then add condensed milk and stir and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
4. Now put crushed cardamoms and sugar. Stir continuously.
5. Add roasted til and desiccated coconut. Keep on stirring. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
6. Pour in a serving dish and garnish with raisins and cashew nuts.
7. This can be used as fast food.

Ingredients:

100 gm Tamarind
250 gm Potatoes or Arvi
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2-3 no Red dry chillies
1/2 tsp Dry ginger powder
125 gm Jaggery or sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
Chaat masala, chilli powder and salt to taste

Method of Preparation :

1. Soak imli/tamarind in lukewarm water for 1-2 hours or you can do this a day before.
2. Then with your fingers mash them and throw the stones. If you are using stoned tamarind/imli just mash with your fingers.
3. Now put crushed jaggery or sugar along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and ginger powder.(If you want to use this sauce for few days, boil the sauce and use when it cools down.
4. Roast cumin seeds along with dry chillies in a dry frying pan. When the colour turns brown put them on a plate. Now crush them with a rolling pin or pestle and mortar. Sprinkle this on tamarind sauce. Taste it. If you like you can mix a few teaspoons of mint sauce in it or crushed mint leaves.
5. Boil aloo or arvi and peel them. Dice them and keep aside.
6. When you serve, put diced aloo or arvi in a small bowl for each individual person. Sprinkle salt, chat masala, red chilli powder, a table spoon of beaten natural yoghurt and tamarind sauce.
This is yummy and suitable for fast.