Mahashivratri takes place every year in the month of Falgun in the Hindu Lunar Calendar. Typically, it falls in February or March depending on the lunar calendar. Mahashivratri falls on the 18th of February 2023. Just like the name suggests, the literal meaning of Mahashivratri is ‘Great night of Shiva’.
This festival sees a lot of devotees observing the Mahashivaratri Vrat or fasting. While some people go the extreme way and observe ‘nirjala’ vrat, where they don’t consume water or any food throughout the day, some people observe a more lenient fast where they have fruits, milk and certain vegetables and non-grain items on this day.
Planning to observe the Mahashivratri fast this year and wondering what to cook on this auspicious day? We have rounded up some Mahashivratri recipes which are light yet filling that you can cook for yourself and your family this Mahashivratri.
Sabudana Khichdi
Sabudana Khichdi is synonymous with fasting food in India. It is a popular fasting food that is easy to cook and delicious. Sabudana is tapioca pearls which is a classic fasting food that you will easily find in almost every Indian household.
In sabudana khichdi, people add potato and peanut powder to make it nutritious and satiating. You can garnish with coriander leaves if you eat coriander during fasting or skip this step. Serve sabudana khichdi with curd of coconut chutney to make it taste better.
Ragi Banana Dosa
Another popular ingredient that is a staple in many of the fasting food items is ragi flour. Are you a dosa lover? You can make ragi banana dosa for breakfast or lunch this Mahashivratri. This dosa will give you a boost of energy and will help you carry out your day without feeling low on energy. The bananas in this dish will give the dosa a mildly sweet flavour that will help to sweeten up your day.
Ragi Peanut ladoo
Want to cook something sweet for Mahashivratri? You can consider making a batch of ragi peanut ladoo. They are easy to make, and the best part is that they will give you an instant boost of energy and help you power through your day with ease.
Ragi peanut ladoo will help to maintain your energy level and successfully carry your Mahashivratri vrat. You can either use sugar or jaggery to make this ladoo depending on your preference. Visit the ITC store to do grocery shopping for high-quality ragi flour, atta, salt, sugar and other pantry essentials that you will need to make Mahashivratri vrat food items.
Sabudana Vada
Want a light and crunchy snack to eat during lunch or dinner on Mahashivratri? Make Maharashtrian-style sabudana vada at home for you and your loved ones. Sabudana vada is made using softened tapioca pearls, mashed potatoes, peanuts and salt.
You can serve it with coconut chutney which is specially made using fasting-approved ingredients. Sabudana Vada is not just consumed as a fasting food in India. It is a popular breakfast option in the South of India and Maharashtra which is loved by adults and kids alike.
Rajgira Paratha
Craving for some rotis? Though you cannot consume atta during fasting, you can instead make rajgira paratha using amaranth flour. Rajgira is a common ingredient that is used during fasting days to make poori, kheer and other vrat items.
The rajgira flour is nutritious and healthy and can be used throughout the year to make yummy parathas, puris and other Indian delicacies. You can add green chilli, cumin seeds, rock salt and some chopped coriander to make your parathas tasty. If you don’t eat these ingredients during fasting, then you can skip them and make simple yet filling rajgira parathas for you and your family.
Remember that you can simply skip an ingredient or swap it for something else if you find any of the vrat recipes have ingredients that you don’t eat during Mahashivratri vrat. Make sure that you plan your breakfast, lunch and dinner menu in advance so that you don’t have to stress on the day of the festival.
Looking for a one-stop destination to do your grocery shopping for this Mahashivratri? Visit the ITC store to fill up your pantry with ragi flour, salt, peanuts, sabudana and all the ingredients you will need to prepare Mahashivratri vrat food items this year.
