From the traditional sundal to payaru pongal, we bring you recipes for some of the commonly served snacks during Navratri.

With the onset of Navratri, the festive season gears for a colourful start in the country.

Navratri meaning 'nine nights' is traditionally marked with Hindu women praying to Goddess Durga and observing fast throughout the nine days.

While most women who fast give up on rice, wheat and dal, they take to fruits and low-calorie snacks during this time.

These snacks are distributed among young women and children after the morning and evening prayers.

We bring you the recipes of some of the snacks cooked and served during Navratri season.

Sundal

Ingredients

• 200 gms black gram soaked overnight for at least 10 hours
• 2 tsp chana dal
• 3 tsp coriander
• 3-4 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• ½ cup grated coconut

Method

• Heat a pan, add chana dal, coriander, red chillies and fenugreek seeds.
• Roast them for about a minute.
• Take it off the flame and grind the mixture into a coarse dry mixture. Keep this aside.
• Wash the black gram well and empty it into a pressure cooker.
• Add water just enough to soak the gram.
• Add salt and seal the lid.
• Allow it to cook for up to four to five whistles.
• For tadka, in a heating pan, add one tablespoon oil.
• When it heats, add 1/4 cup grated coconut.
• When it begins to change colour, add mustard seeds.
• When it crackles, add curry leaves, urad dal and green chillies.
• Sauté them well.
• Now add the dry mixture prepared earlier.
• Mix well on slow fire for about a minute.
• Add the cooked gram and mix well.
• Garnish it with the remaining grated coconut and serve hot.

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Sughiyan

Ingredients

• 1 glass moong
• 1/2 cup jaggery
• heat in 1/4 glass water
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp dry ginger powder
• 1tsp cardamom powder
• 2-3 tbs ghee
• 200ml sunflower oil

For coating

100 gms maida

Method

• In a pressure cooker, add moong and ½ glass water.
• Cook it for upto four to five whistles.
• In a heating pan, take some ghee.
• Add jaggery and melt it by adding some water and heating on low flame.
• Add dry ginger and cooked moong to this. Mix well.
• Add cardamom powder and mix well.
• After a minute, take it off the flame.
• When it is cooler, make four to six balls of the mixture. Keep it aside.
• In a bowl, take maida and add 1/4 glass water to it.
• You may add more water to liquefy the mixture, depending on how thick you want the coat to be.
• Mix well to avoid lumps.
• In a heating pan, pour sunflower oil.
• One by one, dip the moong balls in the maida flour and deep fry for about a minute.
• Serve hot with pav or bread (optional).

Sweet Payaru Pongal

Ingredients

• 200 gms green gram
• 200 gms jaggery
• 3 tbs ghee
• 2 tsp cardamom powder
• ½ cup grated coconut 

Method

• Heat a pan and add the green gram.
• When it turns slightly brown take it off the fire.
• Empty this into a pressure cooker and pour just enough water for the gram to soak. The water level should not be too high, otherwise the gram will be overcooked.
• Seal the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for up to three whistles.
• In a separate pan, heat the jaggery to form a pak.
• Slow the fire and add elaichi powder and three spoons of ghee.
• Mix well.
• Now empty the gram mixture and mix well.
• Ensure you drain off all excess water by heating the mixture well just so that it doesn’t end up like paysam/kheer.
• Garnish it with grated coconut and serve hot or cold.