Nine Days Navaratri Celebrations @ MAD! Sabudana Vada Vrat Recipe

Welcome to Feast While You Fast series @ madcookingfusions with Sabudana Vada Vrat ka khana!

Gujarat Special on the first day of Navaratri…..

madcookingfusions na taraf thi sau ne navaratri naa mahotsav par hardik subeecha! Aa nav divas aapne roj navi vangii kno swad anubahishu!!

Happy Navaratri to All!!

Navaratri is celebrated in numerous ways, by the Hindus all across India. The celebrations seen in north India would be exactly the opposite of the that in South India. The joy of people in western India with glowing city lights, scintillating dance performances such as garba and raas lila would be totally different from that of eastern India mainly in West Bengal with the lively Durga Puja with lots of stalls, dishes, beautiful Durga Idol etc.

Memories – Our Navaratri Celebrations picture (Puja was about to start followed by the non stop garba performances by the residents) -

Our navaratri experience during our stay in Ahmedabad is something that I and my kids will miss every year and that excitement of getting ready in the traditional garba outfits called chaniya cholie’s and the kediyo’s..those dance classes to learn the steps before the navaratri.We enjoyed all nine days of Navaratri in gujarat. It’s like you feel suddenly the entire state for those nine days has been magically transformed to paradise. The city full of lights, people dressed in ethnic garba attires, life starts at night….. from kids to aged people all into the festive mood of navratri immaterial of the age…..dance and music all over from clubs to parks and even housing complexes….. I along with my kids thoroughly enjoyed Garba in Ahmedabad, for all the nine days it was like you in some different world all together. We surely miss it now.

Navaratri Garba is the most colorful form of the dance. It symbolizes the worship of Goddess Jagdamba. All the performers stand in a circular form, to perform the dance and they have a shrine of the Goddess in between, which is made by each community. There is a Garbo in the shrine (earthenware pot) and in that a silver coin, beetle nut is put inside and on top is the coconut placed.It is so much fun to dance or see people dancing with similar steps and dancing movements in circular motions with the garba songs….

The word ‘Garba’ is derived from ‘Garbha Deep’, a lamp placed inside a perforated earthen pot or Garba. The perforated pot is illuminated by the lamp inside it, which represents the embryonic life. According to the legends, Usha, the grand daughter-in-law of Lord Krishna, popularized Lasya Nritya, which is today known by the name – Garba.

Vrat Ka Khana - Sabudana Vada

Ingredients –

• Sabudana (Sago) – 1 cup
• Peanuts roasted and ground coarsely – ½ cup
• Potatoes boiled and mashed – 2 medium size
• Coriander leaves
• Green Chillies chopped – 2
• Lemon juice
• Kuttu ka Atta – 2 tablespoon
• Red chilli powder
• Salt
• Oil

Method -

Wash the sabudana nicely under running water and soak it with enough water to cover it for about 2-3 hours. Drain off the excess water and keep it in the sieve for about 10 minutes. After that, add all the ingredients to the sabudana ( mashed potatoes, coarsely crushed peanuts,salt,red chilli powder,coriander chopped,green chillies chopped, lemon juice). Mix them thoroughly.

Oil your palms and make lemon size flat balls out of it. This mixture is difficult to handle and will stick too much to your palms, keep using little water to wet your palms or apply oil in between while making the balls. Spead kuttu atta on a plate and cover the flattened balls from both sides with the atta genetally. Heat oil in a kadai, when the oil is hot , deep fry the vada’s and let them cook on medium to low heat till golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper and serve hot!

Enjoy!!