Janmashtami Vrat Recipes: Sabudana, Kuttu & Singhara Recipes

Singhara Recipes for Janmashtami Vrat

Here are some simple and delicious singhara recipes that you can easily prepare at home during Janmashtami Vrat, which can add variety to your fasting meals.

1. Singhare ke Atte ka Halwa

Ingredients: 1 cup singhara flour, 3 tbsp ghee, 2 cups water or milk, ½ cup sugar or jaggery, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, chopped nuts (almonds/cashews).

Steps:

1. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan on low flame.
2. Add singhara flour and roast continuously, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until it turns light golden and smells nutty. A raw smell means it needs more roasting.
3. In a separate pan, warm the water or milk (don't let it boil over).
4. Turn the heat to low and slowly add the warm liquid while stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
5. Keep stirring as the mixture thickens; it will bubble and come together within 3–4 minutes.
6. Add sugar/jaggery and cardamom powder, mix well, and cook another 2–3 minutes until the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and turns glossy.
7. Turn off the heat, garnish with chopped nuts, and serve warm.

2. Singhare ki Puri

Ingredients: 1 cup singhara flour, 1 boiled and mashed potato, sendha namak to taste, water as needed, oil for deep-frying.

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine singhara flour, mashed potato, and sendha namak.
2. Knead into a firm, smooth dough, adding water just a teaspoon at a time; the potato usually provides enough moisture.
3. Cover the dough and rest it for 10 minutes.
4. Divide into small lemon-sized balls.
5. Place each ball between two sheets of plastic or greased baking paper and gently flatten it into a small disc.
6. Heat oil in a kadai until medium-hot.
7. Gently slide in a puri; press lightly with a slotted spoon so it puffs up.
8. Fry until golden on both sides, then remove and drain on a paper towel.
9. Repeat with the remaining dough and serve hot.

3. Singhare ka Cheela

Ingredients: 1 cup singhara flour, water, sendha namak, 1 chopped green chili, chopped coriander, ghee for cooking.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, whisk singhara flour with water gradually to make a smooth, lump-free batter of pouring (dosa-like) consistency.
2. Add sendha namak, chopped green chili, and coriander; mix well.
3. Rest the batter for 5 minutes.
4. Heat a tawa on medium flame and grease lightly with ghee.
5. Pour a ladle of batter onto the tawa and spread thinly in a circular motion.
6. Drizzle a little ghee around the edges and cook for 2 minutes until the base turns golden.
7. Flip carefully and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes.
8. Serve hot, plain or with vrat-friendly coriander chutney.

4. Singhare Atte ke Pakore

Ingredients: 1 cup singhara flour, thin potato or pumpkin slices, sendha namak, jeera, water, oil for frying.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, mix singhara flour with sendha namak and jeera.
2. Add water gradually, whisking to form a thick, coating-consistency batter (thicker than the cheela batter).
3. Heat oil in a kadai on medium-high.
4. Dip each vegetable slice into the batter, coating it fully.
5. Slide it gently into the hot oil.
6. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on all sides (about 3–4 minutes per batch).
7. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
8. Serve hot with vrat chutney.

Janmashtami Vrat Recipes with Kuttu

Kuttu is a popular vrat ingredient that can be used to prepare a variety of filling and delicious dishes. Here are some easy kuttu recipes that you can prepare at home during Janmashtami Vrat.

1. Kuttu ki Puri

Ingredients: 1 cup kuttu flour, 1 boiled and mashed potato, sendha namak, a pinch of ajwain (optional), water, oil for deep-frying.

Steps:

1. Mix kuttu flour, mashed potato, sendha namak, and ajwain in a bowl.
2. Knead gently into a soft, pliable dough; kuttu has no gluten, so avoid over-kneading; just bring it together. Add water only if the potato hasn't given enough moisture.
3. Rest the dough for 10 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
4. Pinch small balls and flatten each between oiled plastic sheets or your palms into small, slightly thick discs (kuttu dough tears easily if rolled too thin).
5. Heat oil in a kadai until medium-hot.
6. Slide in a puri and gently press with a spoon to help it puff.
7. Fry until golden on both sides, then drain on a paper towel.
8. Repeat with remaining dough and serve immediately, ideally with dahi aloo.

2. Kuttu ka Paratha

Ingredients: 1 cup kuttu flour, boiled mashed potato, sendha namak, ghee for cooking.

Steps:

1. Combine kuttu flour, mashed potato, and sendha namak in a bowl.
2. Mix and press into a soft dough, using a little water only if needed.
3. Rest for 10 minutes.
4. Divide into medium balls.
5. Pat or gently roll each ball between plastic sheets into a flatbread; patting by hand is easier than using a rolling pin since the dough is delicate.
6. Heat a tawa on medium flame.
7. Carefully transfer the paratha onto the tawa (a flat plate or your palm helps lift it without breaking).
8. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then flip.
9. Apply ghee on the cooked side, flip again, and apply ghee on the other side too.
10. Cook both sides until golden-brown spots appear, then serve hot.

3. Kuttu Pakora

Ingredients: 1 cup kuttu flour, sliced potato or spinach leaves, sendha namak, crushed black pepper, water, oil for frying.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, whisk kuttu flour with water to a thick batter.
2. Season with sendha namak and crushed black pepper.
3. Heat oil in a kadai until medium-hot.
4. Dip potato slices or spinach leaves into the batter, coating evenly.
5. Slide into the hot oil carefully.
6. Fry until golden and crisp, turning once or twice, about 3–4 minutes.
7. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
8. Serve hot as a snack.

4. Kuttu ka Cheela

Ingredients: 1 cup kuttu flour, curd or water, sendha namak, grated ginger, chopped coriander, ghee.

Steps:

1. Stir kuttu flour with curd (or water) to make a smooth, medium-thick batter.
2. Add sendha namak, grated ginger, and coriander; mix well.
3. Rest the batter for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates fully.
4. Heat a tawa on medium flame and grease with a little ghee.
5. Pour a ladle of batter and spread gently into a round shape (kuttu batter is less pourable than singhara, so spread with the back of the ladle).
6. Drizzle ghee around the edges and cook 2–3 minutes until the base is golden and firm enough to flip.
7. Flip and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes.
8. Serve hot.

Easy Sabudana Recipes to Make During Janmashtami Vrat

Sabudana is a versatile fasting ingredient that can be used to prepare both savoury and sweet dishes. Below are some popular sabudana recipes that you can prepare during Janmashtami fast.

1. Sabudana Khichdi

Ingredients: 1 cup soaked sabudana, 2 boiled and cubed potatoes, ½ cup roasted crushed peanuts, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1–2 chopped green chilies, a few curry leaves, 2–3 tbsp ghee, sendha namak, lemon juice, chopped coriander.

Steps:

1. Check the soaked sabudana — press a pearl between your fingers; it should mash easily and look translucent. If not, let it soak longer.
2. Heat ghee in a pan on medium flame.
3. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
4. Add curry leaves and green chilies, sauté for 30 seconds.
5. Add the boiled potato cubes and sauté for 2 minutes until lightly coated in ghee.
6. Lower the heat and add the soaked sabudana along with roasted crushed peanuts.
7. Add sendha namak and mix very gently (sabudana turns mushy if stirred too vigorously).
8. Cover and cook on low flame for 4–5 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the pearls turn fully translucent.
9. Turn off the heat, squeeze in fresh lemon juice, and mix.
10. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

2. Sabudana Vada

Ingredients: 1 cup soaked sabudana, 1 boiled and mashed potato, ½ cup roasted crushed peanuts, chopped green chili, grated ginger, chopped coriander, sendha namak, oil for frying.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, combine soaked sabudana, mashed potato, crushed peanuts, green chili, ginger, coriander, and sendha namak.
2. Mix and mash together until it forms a firm mixture that holds its shape (press a small portion between your palms to check).
3. Divide into equal portions and shape each into a flat, round patty.
4. Heat oil in a kadai (for deep-frying) or a shallow layer in a pan (for shallow-frying) on medium flame.
5. Gently slide in the vadas, a few at a time, without overcrowding the pan.
6. Fry until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
7. Flip and fry the other side until golden and crisp.
8. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
9. Serve hot with vrat-friendly curd or chutney.

3. Sabudana Kheer

Ingredients: ¼ cup sabudana (soaked 30 minutes), 2 cups milk, sugar or jaggery to taste, ¼ tsp cardamom powder, chopped nuts, a few strands of saffron (optional).

Steps:

1. Soak sabudana in just enough water to cover it for about 30 minutes (this shorter soak is enough since it will cook further in milk).
2. Drain the sabudana and set aside.
3. Bring milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed pan, then lower the heat.
4. Add the soaked sabudana to the simmering milk.
5. Cook on low flame, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for 12–15 minutes, until the pearls turn soft and translucent and the milk thickens slightly.
6. Add sugar or jaggery and cardamom powder; stir well and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
7. If using saffron, soak the strands in a tablespoon of warm milk and stir in now.
8. Turn off the heat, garnish with chopped nuts, and serve warm or chilled.

4. Sabudana Tikki

Ingredients: 1 cup soaked sabudana, 1 boiled and mashed potato, roasted peanut powder, chopped green chili, sendha namak, chopped coriander, ghee for shallow-frying.

Steps:

1. In a bowl, mix soaked sabudana, mashed potato, roasted peanut powder, green chili, sendha namak, and coriander.
2. Mash and combine until the mixture holds together firmly.
3. Divide into equal portions and flatten each into a small round or oval tikki.
4. Heat a tawa on medium flame and add a little ghee.
5. Place the tikkis on the tawa, spacing them apart.
6. Cook for 3–4 minutes on one side until golden and crisp.
7. Flip gently, add a touch more ghee if needed, and cook the other side for 3–4 minutes.
8. Serve hot with coriander or peanut chutney.

Conclusion

Janmashtami Vrat can be made more enjoyable with a variety of dishes prepared using vrat-friendly ingredients like kuttu, singhara, and sabudana. From wholesome meals to light snacks and sweet treats, these recipes offer plenty of options for devotees to enjoy while observing the fast.