4 Oil-Free Navratri Fasting Recipes: Healthy Cooking with Non-Stick Pans

As the nine nights of devotion begin, homes fill with the aroma of incense, the sound of Garba music, and the sight of families dressed in vibrant traditional attire. Fasting during Navratri is a sacred ritual, meant to detoxify the body and purify the mind. Yet fasting doesn’t mean losing energy or skipping the fun. In fact, the ever-growing love for late-night Garba dancing is proof that we need wholesome nourishment even on fasting days to keep our enthusiasm high.

This year, let’s embrace a healthier way to fast—one that keeps you light on your feet for those wee-hour dance sessions, without compromising on taste or tradition.

High-quality non-stick cookware can be your best friend this Navratri. Non-stick pans allow you to cook a variety of dishes with little to no oil, making them perfect for Vrat recipes. With advanced coatings (like Vinod Cookware’s triple-layer Zest non-stick pans), you can sauté, roast, and simmer using minimal oil, yet nothing sticks to the pan. 

Why Go Oil-Free This Navratri?

Opting for oil-free or low-oil cooking offers a multitude of benefits:

• Fasting foods cooked with less oil are gentler on the stomach. You’ll feel lighter and more energetic, which is perfect for dancing all night long!

• Cutting down on fried foods means cutting down on excess calories. You can enjoy Navratri treats and still fit into your dandiya outfits with ease.

• Navratri fasting is traditionally sattvic (pure), and keeping it low-fat makes it even better for your cardiovascular health.

Now, let’s put this into practice with some delicious oil-free fasting recipes that will keep you fueled for Garba nights!

1. Makhana Kheer 

Makhana kheer is a lighter alternative to rice kheer, perfect for fasting. Makhana is rich in fiber, protein, and calcium, so this creamy pudding provides nourishment along with indulgence. To make it oil-free, dry roast the makhanas in a non-stick kadai (or use just a teaspoon of ghee for aroma, if you prefer). Then boil them with milk, a natural sweetener like jaggery, and a pinch of cardamom. In about 20 minutes, you have a wholesome kheer that’s high in energy yet easy to digest. 

2. Rajgira Thalipeeth (Amaranth Pancake)

This Maharashtrian-style thalipeeth is a hearty fasting meal. It’s made from rajgira flour mixed with boiled mashed potatoes, crushed peanuts, rock salt, and mild spices (like cumin and green chili, which are often allowed in fasts). The dough is patted directly onto a hot tawa (no rolling pin needed) to form a rustic pancake or flatbread. Using a good non-stick tawa is key here – you can cook the thalipeeth with just a light brush of ghee or even no oil at all, and it won’t stick. Cook each side of the thalipeeth until it’s golden-brown and crisp on the edges. Serve it hot with a bowl of cooling yogurt. 

3. Rajgira Roti (Amaranth Flatbread)

Rajgira roti is an excellent replacement for regular chapatis during Navratri since it uses no grains. The dough is usually a mix of rajgira flour, a bit of boiled potato or sweet potato (as a binding agent), and salt. Pat it into a thin disc on a plastic sheet or your palm and transfer to a hot non-stick griddle. With a quality non-stick pan, you won’t need oil to cook it—just roast on medium heat until brown spots appear on both sides.

4. No-Fry Sabudana Vada 

Traditionally, Sabudana vadas are deep-fried, but you can make them oil-free using a paniyaram/appam pan. Prepare the vada mixture as usual: soaked sabudana, mashed boiled potato, crushed peanuts, green chilies, and sendha namak (rock salt). Form small balls or patties. Now, instead of submerging in hot oil, place these balls in the cavities of a heated non-stick appam pan. You may lightly grease each cavity with a drop of oil or ghee – but with a good non-stick coating, even that isn’t necessary for crispiness. Cover and cook on low-medium heat, turning occasionally, until the vadas are golden brown and crunchy on all sides. 

So go ahead – cook up these delights, grab your dandiya sticks, and dance your heart out!