So you thought Navratra food is just kuttu/ singhada atta poori or samak rice. Not anymore. You have Kuttu atta Tart with Samak Rice kheer and Water Melon Sorbet, Beetroot and Amaranth steak with Anardana Chutney, Sweet Potato Chilli with Tamarind Reduction and Kuttu Waffle Sandwich, and much more this time. With innovations happening everywhere around, how can ‘fast’ food be left behind. Many restaurants are offering different kinds of dishes that people on fast can eat. Chefs have made such innovations that you will wonder if you are actually fasting!
“Navratra food has diversified into many spheres and has seen the infusion of modern cooking styles and ingredients. As chefs we experiment with various ingredients and try to prepare better offerings for our guests,” says Avinash Jha, Executive chef, Jaypee Vasant Continental. Fusing Asian and European cuisines, The Gastronomica Kitchen and Bar at Greater Kailash has come up with food items such as Samak Rice Risotto with artichoke, asparagus and parmesan crisp, Buckwheat Flour Tacos filled with grilled, raw banana and Fresh Fruit Salsa.
If you have love Continental spread, head to Brioche Doree. This newly-opened French café in Connaught Place has come up with Navratri dishes with modern French flavours. “During Devi Puja days earlier, I used to look for satvik food but never got anything except kuttu and singhara atta and related dishes,” says Amit Singh, Brioche Doree’s head chef. As a result, Singh has came up with the two varieties of salads, two types of soups and a platter that has Cottage Cheese and Pineapple Shaslik among its ingredients.
“People usually come in groups at our cafe and during Navratri invariably there are some on fast. Rather than saying no to such customers, we thought it better to innovate and make dishes that they would like,” says Chef Gajender Singh, Bokan Café, East of Kailash.
People are simply loving the change. “It’s so nice to have some continental twist to the satvik Navratra food. Young people are more inclined towards Chinese, Italian and Continental food rather than Indian delicacies,” says Vanshika Bisaria, a student at Amity University, Noida. “It’s a welcome relief. I was so fed up of having Kuttu poori-aloo sabzi. In fact, eating the poori sabzi defeats the very purpose of keeping a fast,” says Noida resident Hema Singh.