Sharad Navratri 2026 — Day-Wise Vrat Recipes

Festival Dates: October 11 – October 20, 2026
Note: All recipes use sendha namak (rock salt), no onion/garlic, and ghee as the preferred fat.

Day 1 — October 11, Sunday | Maa Shailputri

Colour: Yellow

Sabudana Khichdi

Pearl tapioca cooked with peanuts, cumin, green chilli, and sendha namak. Light, filling, and the quintessential vrat breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sabudana (soaked 4–6 hrs)
• ½ cup roasted peanuts (coarsely crushed)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies (slit)
• ½ tsp sendha namak
• 1 potato (boiled, cubed)
• Fresh coriander & lemon

Method

1. Drain sabudana well and spread on a plate so grains separate.
2. Heat ghee in a kadhai; splutter cumin and green chillies.
3. Add potato cubes, sauté 2 min, then add sabudana and peanuts.
4. Stir on medium flame 5–7 min until sabudana turns translucent.
5. Season with sendha namak; finish with lemon juice and coriander.

Pro tip: Spread soaked sabudana on a dry cloth for 30 min — this prevents clumping.

Day 2 — October 12, Monday | Maa Brahmacharini

Colour: Green

Kuttu Ki Puri with Aloo Sabzi

Crispy deep-fried buckwheat flour puris served with a spiced potato curry — a vrat meal hearty enough to last the day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup kuttu (buckwheat) flour
• ½ cup boiled mashed potato
• Sendha namak to taste
• Ghee / oil for frying
• 3 potatoes (boiled, cubed)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp amchur

Method

1. Mix kuttu flour, mashed potato, and sendha namak; knead into a firm dough — no water needed.
2. Divide into small balls and roll into puris.
3. Deep-fry in hot oil until puffed and golden.
4. For sabzi: heat ghee, splutter cumin, add potato cubes, chilli, amchur, and sendha namak.
5. Simmer sabzi 5 min and serve hot with puris.

Pro tip: Kuttu dough dries quickly — keep covered with a damp cloth and roll just before frying.

Day 3 — October 13, Tuesday | Maa Chandraghanta

Colour: Grey

Sama Rice Pulao

Barnyard millet cooked with sendha namak, cumin, and cashews — a light grain-free grain that’s perfect for a vrat lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sama rice (barnyard millet)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 6–8 cashews
• 1 green chilli
• Sendha namak to taste
• Fresh coriander

Method

1. Wash and soak sama rice 20 min; drain.
2. Heat ghee, fry cashews until golden, remove and set aside.
3. In the same ghee, splutter cumin and chilli.
4. Add sama rice; sauté 2 min, then add 2 cups water and sendha namak.
5. Cover and cook on low 12–15 min until water absorbs. Garnish with cashews and coriander.

Pro tip: Sama rice cooks faster than regular rice — keep heat low to avoid mushiness.

Day 4 — October 14, Wednesday | Maa Kushmanda

Colour: Orange

Kaddu Ki Sabzi with Singhara Roti

Sweet and tangy pumpkin curry made with sendha namak and fenugreek seeds, paired with water chestnut flour rotis.

Ingredients

• 400g kaddu (pumpkin), cubed
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp amchur
• 1 tbsp ghee
• Sendha namak
• 1 cup singhara (water chestnut) flour
• Lukewarm water for dough

Method

1. For roti: mix singhara flour with sendha namak and warm water into a soft dough; roll thin and cook on tawa with ghee.
2. Heat ghee; splutter fenugreek seeds until they begin to darken.
3. Add pumpkin, toss well, cover and cook on low 15 min.
4. Add chilli, amchur, sendha namak; mash lightly for a semi-dry texture.
5. Serve sabzi hot alongside fresh singhara rotis.

Pro tip: Don’t skip fenugreek seeds — they give kaddu sabzi its distinctive bitter-sweet flavour.

Day 5 — October 15, Thursday | Maa Skandamata

Colour: White

Makhane Ki Kheer

Foxnut pearls slowly simmered in full-fat milk with saffron and sugar — a rich, soothing vrat dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 cup makhana (foxnuts)
• 750 ml full-fat milk
• 3 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• A pinch of saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk)
• 1 tsp ghee
• Chopped almonds & pistachios

Method

1. Heat ghee in a heavy pan; roast makhana on low 8–10 min until crispy and aromatic. Crush half of them lightly.
2. Bring milk to a boil; reduce to a simmer.
3. Add all makhana (crushed + whole) and cook 20–25 min, stirring frequently.
4. Stir in sugar, saffron-milk, and cardamom. Cook 5 more min until thickened.
5. Top with nuts; serve warm or chilled.

Pro tip: Serve warm in winters or chill overnight — it thickens beautifully and tastes even better the next day.

Day 6 — October 16, Friday | Maa Katyayani

Colour: Red

Aloo Jeera (Vrat Style)

Golden potato cubes tempered with cumin in ghee — the simplest, most satisfying vrat dish ready in 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes (boiled, cubed)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1–2 dried red chillies
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• Sendha namak
• Fresh coriander & lemon

Method

1. Heat ghee on medium; add cumin and let sizzle 30 sec.
2. Add dried red chillies; fry 10 sec.
3. Add potato cubes; toss gently to coat.
4. Sprinkle red chilli powder and sendha namak; cook uncovered 8–10 min until edges are golden.
5. Finish with lemon juice and torn coriander leaves.

Pro tip: Use slightly cold boiled potatoes — they hold shape better and crisp up well in ghee.

Day 7 — October 17, Saturday | Maa Kalaratri

Colour: Royal Blue

Sabudana Vada

Crispy-outside, chewy-inside sabudana patties fried to perfection — great as a vrat snack with coriander chutney.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sabudana (soaked & drained well)
• 2 potatoes (boiled, mashed)
• ½ cup roasted peanuts (ground)
• 2 green chillies (minced)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Sendha namak
• Oil for frying
• Coriander for chutney

Method

1. Combine sabudana, mashed potato, peanuts, chillies, cumin, and sendha namak in a bowl.
2. Mix well until it holds shape; form into flat round patties.
3. Heat oil on medium-high; slide in vadas gently.
4. Fry 3–4 min per side until deep golden and crisp.
5. Drain on paper; serve with fresh coriander chutney (blend coriander, chilli, lemon, sendha namak).

Pro tip: If the mixture is too wet, refrigerate 30 min before shaping — it firms up perfectly.

Day 8 — October 18, Sunday | Maa Mahagauri

Colour: Pink

Kuttu Ka Cheela

Savoury buckwheat pancakes cooked in ghee — crispy, quick, and packed with flavour from cumin and green chillies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup kuttu flour
• 1 cup curd (whisked)
• 1 green chilli (minced)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Sendha namak
• 1 tbsp ghee per cheela
• Coriander leaves

Method

1. Mix kuttu flour, curd, chilli, cumin, sendha namak, and coriander into a smooth batter (consistency of dosa batter). Rest 5 min.
2. Heat a tawa; grease with ghee.
3. Pour a ladleful of batter; spread in a circle gently.
4. Cover and cook on low-medium 2–3 min; flip and cook 2 min more until golden.
5. Serve hot with curd or green chutney.

Pro tip: Keep the flame on the lower side — kuttu burns faster than regular wheat flour.

Day 9 — October 19, Monday | Maa Siddhidatri

Colour: Purple

Singhara Halwa

Roasted water chestnut flour cooked in ghee with sugar and cardamom — a dense, fragrant halwa to close the nine days.

Ingredients

• 1 cup singhara flour
• 4 tbsp ghee
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp chopped almonds & cashews
• A pinch of saffron (optional)

Method

1. Heat ghee in a heavy pan; add singhara flour and roast on low, stirring continuously, 8–10 min until golden and nutty-smelling.
2. In another pan, boil water + sugar + saffron until sugar dissolves.
3. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the roasted flour, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.
4. Cook on low 5–7 min, stirring until halwa thickens and leaves the sides.
5. Garnish with nuts and cardamom. Serve warm.

Pro tip: Singhara flour must be roasted really well — under-roasted halwa tastes raw and heavy.

Day 10 — October 20, Tuesday | Vijayadashami / Dussehra

Colour: Peacock Green

Puri Halwa Prasad (Parana — Breaking the Fast)

The traditional parana meal to break the fast — semolina halwa and whole wheat puris offered as bhog and eaten with family.

Ingredients

• 1 cup suji (semolina)
• ½ cup ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 2½ cups water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (for puris)
• Water & oil for kneading & frying

Method

1. Boil water and sugar together to make a light syrup; keep warm.
2. Roast semolina in ghee on low 10 min until golden and fragrant.
3. Slowly add warm syrup to semolina, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook 5 min until thick.
4. For puris: knead wheat flour into a firm dough; rest 15 min; roll and deep-fry until puffed.
5. Offer as prasad, then serve warm — the traditional way to break the Navratri fast.

Pro tip: This is the parana (fast-breaking) meal — after nine days of vrat food, keep portions moderate as your stomach readjusts!

Vrat Kitchen Rules (All 10 Days)

• Use sendha namak (rock salt) — regular table salt is not permitted.
• Avoid onion, garlic, meat, eggs, and alcohol entirely.
• Avoid regular wheat flour and rice (Days 1–9); sama rice and kuttu/singhara flour are allowed.
• Ghee is the preferred cooking fat; refined oil may be used for deep-frying.
• Fruits, milk, curd, nuts, makhana, sabudana, sama rice, kuttu, singhara — all are permitted.
• Stay hydrated with water, milk, and fresh fruit juices throughout the fast.

Jai Mata Di — May Maa Durga bless you with health, abundance, and peace this Navratri 2026.

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