Navratri 2019: 5 Ways to Give Your Vrat Wale Aloo an Interesting Spin

Festivities are in the air as the nine auspicious days of Navratri 2019 have begun. There is a lot of enthusiasm among people and everyone is pumped up to celebrate the string of festivities that lie ahead. Fasting during Navratris is common and those who have been doing it for many years are constantly on a look out for new and creative ways to make their vrat meals interesting. If you are fasting during the Navratri 2019 fasts, you would know that vrat wale aloo is one of the simplest dishes to prepare. But since you are off a lot of ingredients, during these fasts and have limited options, having the same dishes day in and day out can become a bit monotonous. Here's a way out. It takes little effort to turn the same vrat wale aloo into an interesting dish with new flavours. Let us show you how.

Here are five genius ways to transform your favourite vrat wale aloo into something new and flavourful each time. Chef Manjusha Sinha was organizes cooking class in Gurugram suggest few ideas to cook vrat wale aloo.

1. Vrat Wale Aloo in Kuttu Gravy

Here's a lovely twist the regular fare. “For this recipe, I used simple ingredients that were available with me and ended up inventing something new. I wanted it to be healthy and low and therefore, I've limited my ingredients. I used a mix of roasted kuttu atta along with curd to make the gravy. The potato curry was then flavoured with green chillies, ginger and sendha namak. I used a light tempering of cumin seeds roasted in 2 teaspoons ofdesi ghee to enhance the flavours and add more depth. It's a great recipe to try while you're fasting,” shares Chef Manjusha.  

2. Vrat Wale Aloo with Khus Khus and Cashews

We know that you can only use limited ingredients during Navratri fasts, still there's a lot that you can do with them. Khus khus (poppy seeds) and cashews lend a beautiful creamy texture and flavour to your dish. “If you are making a gravy dish with vrat wale aloo, you can use a mix of curd, khus khus and cashews to make the gravy. Dry roast the khus khus and cashew nuts and soak them in water overnight. Later, grind them into a fine paste and use this to make the gravy. You can use some black pepper and salt to flavour it. It is best enjoyed with some hot puris,” says Manjusha. 
 _{Khus khus (poppy seeds) and cashews lend a beautiful creamy texture. Photo Credit: Istock} 

3. Sookhe Vrat Wale Aloo

Instead of making a heavy gravy based dish, you can opt for light, stir-fried potatoes that can be easily packed for lunch on-the-go. Just saute few boiled potatoes with 1 teaspoon black pepper, two-three slit green chillies and some fresh coriander leaves in desi ghee. This aloo dish goes well with any kind of Indian bread, be it chapati, rot, kulcha or the deep fried poori. These can be served with kuttu ki pooris during Navratri vrat or fast.(Also read: 10 Best Vrat Recipes)_{You can also opt for light, stir-fried potatoes. Photo Credit: Istock} 

4. Tangy Vrat Wale Aloo

Give the regular, vrat wale aloo a tangy twist. The usual recipe calls for the use of curd, but you can also make the gravy with fresh tomato puree and khus khus. For this recipe, boil 150 grams of baby potatoes and keep aside. Then saute cumin seeds, green chillies, sendha namak, soaked and ground khus khus, fresh tomato puree made with three medium tomatoes and chopped ginger in desi ghee. When this paste is ready, mix it with the boiled potatoes, add a little water to adjust the consistency and pressure cook for three to four whistles. Enjoy with parathas made of kuttu or singhare ke atta . (Also Read: How to make Vrat wale Aloo Rasedaar)_{Give the regular, vrat wale aloo a tangy twist with tomatoes. Photo Credit: Istock} 

5. Vrat Wale Aloo Snack

Vrat wale aloo don't just have to be a part of your main meals, you can enjoy them as a snack too. Cut the potatoes length wide and scoop out the middle flesh to form a cavity. Now, heat some desi ghee in a pan and roast 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Add the potatoes and saute till the skin turns reddish-brown. Let it cool down. In the meanwhile, mash the scooped out potato flesh with some crumbled paneer, green chillies, grated ginger, black pepper, cumin powder and sendha namak. Use this as a filling for the sautéed potatoes and served garnished with coriander leaves. We're sure you'll have a fun time experimenting with these vrat wale aloo recipes that will also help you perk up your fasting meals during Navratri. If you're fasting for the first time, here's an easy recipe of the regular Aloo Rasedaar Vrat Wale by Chef Niru Gupta.