Shravan Special: Fasting Favourites with a Twist

Shravan is a month of devotion, traditions and, of course, special food! For those who observe fasts, the usual sabudana khichdi can sometimes feel a little predictable. So why not add some variety to your farali menu?

Here are a few traditional fasting recipes that are simple, delicious and perfect for a Shravan special spread.

Sabudana Puri

Crispy on the outside and soft inside, these puris make a delicious change from the usual fasting fare.

Ingredients:
2 cups soaked sabudana, 2–3 boiled potatoes, ¼ cup roasted peanut powder, 6–7 green chillies, ¼ tsp cumin seeds, juice of ¼ lemon, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar and oil for frying.

Method:
Grind the sabudana, boiled potatoes, peanut powder, chillies, cumin, lemon juice, salt and sugar together without adding water. Mix well to form a dough. Grease a plastic sheet with a little oil and flatten small portions into thick puris. Deep-fry on medium-low heat until golden and crisp. Serve hot with fasting chutney.

Vari Rice Sheera

A comforting sweet dish made with vari (barnyard millet), this sheera is perfect when you want something festive yet simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup vari rice, 2 cups water, ½ cup milk, ¾ cup sugar, 2 tbsp ghee, 3–4 cardamom pods, 7–8 raisins, a pinch of salt and saffron.

Method:
Heat the milk and water together and add saffron. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan and roast the vari rice until lightly golden. Add the hot milk-water mixture carefully, cover and cook on low heat. Once the liquid is absorbed, add sugar, salt, cardamom powder and raisins. Mix well, cover and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Serve warm.

Farali Dosa

Looking for a breakfast option during Shravan fasts? These dosas are light, crisp and pair beautifully with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:
1 cup vari rice and 1 cup sabudana.

Method:
Soak the vari rice and sabudana separately overnight. Drain and grind them together into a smooth batter. Add salt and enough water to get a dosa-like consistency. Spread on a hot tava just as you would a regular dosa. Serve with fresh coconut chutney.

Fresh Coconut Fasting Chutney

Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 4–5 green chillies, ¼ tsp cumin, 1 tsp sugar and a small piece of tamarind with a little water. Grind to a smooth chutney. It is an easy accompaniment for dosas, puris and farali snacks.

Peanut Chutney

Dry roast 1 cup peanuts and combine with red chilli powder, cumin, salt, sugar and a little kokum or tamarind water. Grind everything together to make a slightly tangy, spicy chutney that goes perfectly with fasting dishes.

Farali Patties

These stuffed potato patties are ideal when you want to turn a fasting meal into something special.

For the patties:
1 kg boiled potatoes, 1 cup peanut powder, 1 grated coconut, 1½ lemons, salt, sugar, raisins, oil and about 1 cup sabudana flour or arrowroot.

For the filling:
Grated coconut, green chillies, cumin, peanut powder, raisins, sugar, salt and lemon juice.

Method:
Prepare a coarse mixture of green chillies and cumin. Mix half of it with grated coconut, peanut powder, raisins, sugar, salt and lemon juice to prepare the filling.

Mash the boiled potatoes while still warm and knead them until smooth. Add the remaining chilli-cumin mixture, lemon juice, salt and enough sabudana flour or arrowroot to make a firm mixture.

Take a portion of the potato mixture, shape it into a small cup, fill it with the coconut-peanut mixture and seal it. Shape into round patties. Deep-fry on medium heat until golden and crisp.

A Little Variety for Your Shravan Table

Fasting doesn’t have to mean eating the same dishes every week. With ingredients such as sabudana, vari, potatoes, coconut and peanuts, you can create an entire menu that is traditional, satisfying and full of flavour.

So this Shravan, give your farali thali a delicious makeover!

– Rashmi Mavlankar