This year we bring you a special series #NavaratriWithTBOF - one that is festive and colourful and a 'Culinary Celebration' of the colours of these 9 days of Navaratri! We will bring you ONE DELICIOUS RECIPE every day for these 9 days that will be all about the festive colour for that day.
In India we celebrate 9 forms of the Divine Mother through these 9 days and each day is assigned a colour each year.
#NavaratriWithTBOF - Day 8 Colour - Pink
Mahagauri - The Goddess who slayed the demons Chanda Munda, Shumbha Nishumbha; She is believed to grant wishes, fulfil desires and the one who radiates a bright shining aura.
The colour Pink that we celebrate today is symbolic of her radiance. Pink is such a lovely colour one that exudes beauty and grace. It is symbolic of hope, affection, kindness, benevolence, generosity; all attributes of the feminine energy.
Today's recipe is a perfect choice for Navaratri fasting! Navaratri is incomplete without different varieties of 'Sundal' in the South of India. Sundal is an easy, simple dish made especially during Navaratri using soaked and cooked Lentils (Kala Chana, Safed Chana, Kulith, Moong, Chowli etc) and finished in a tadka with some freshly grated coconut, curry leaves and 'hing'. Kala Chana or the Bengal Gram is very commonly used to make the traditional Navaratri Sundal. Today's recipe is inspired by the Navaratri Sundal; however it is a Porridge made using the roasted Kala Chana or Harbhara Chana Stoneground flour - called Sattu in the north of India.
We bring you two versions of the porridge; both savoury and sweet.
The savoury spicy version is garnished with the 'light pink blush' of small sambar onions or shallots while the sweet version is sweetened with 'deep Pink hues' of Desi Gulaab Gulkand!! So so delicious, what a beautiful sparkle of Pink on our Sattu dishes! Who's trying this one today?
Written by Shanthini Rajkumar
The amazing versatility of lentils is evident in the array of dishes that can be made using them. Bengal gram is undoubtedly one such lentil. The chana dal adds a delicious taste and flavour and picks up both sweet and savoury notes which are paired with it and results in a well rounded dish.
The Sattu atta that we make at TBOF is made from an indigenous variety of bengal gram called Harbhara Chana and roasted. It is milled in stone grinders which ensures that the nutrients stay intact and don’t get heated like in electric flour grinders.
A sattu porridge is a breakfast which is highly nutritious and easily digestible . If your child prefers sweeter flavours, the sattu porridge can be topped with natural jaggery and native banana. The jaggery when mixed with the hot sattu porridge melts to a caramel consistency and entices one to each one spoonful after another in quick succession. Stir in 2 tsps on Desi Gulaab Gulkand for a beautiful pink glaze, a mild sweetness and the refreshing taste of Mishri and Fennel! Delicious!
For those who prefer a hit of chilli to start the day, the buttermilk, onion and green chilli trio go hand in hand as a spicy sattu porridge topping. Add a little roasted jeera to that to complete the balance in flavours. It is quick to make, not to mention a very satisfying meal.
Recipe for Sattu porridge-serves 2
Sattu flour -1 C
Water- 2 1/2 C
You can add salt or jaggery while making it but it can also be mixed in after the porridge is done.
In a deep saucepan, add the sattu flour. Use a whisk to stir to break up any lumps.
Add water slowly and keep stirring until well mixed and free of lumps.
Place it on the stove on low-medium heat and keep stirring.
Watch as it simmers and starts to thicken. Keep stirring until it reaches the desired consistency and take off the fire.
Serve hot or warm with accompaniments of choice.
Savoury accompaniments
Sliced green chillies
Sliced shallots
Buttermilk
Salt
Roasted cumin powder
Sweet accompaniments
Jaggery
Desi Gulaab Gulkand
Sliced fruit of choice
Nuts and dried fruits
Cinnamon powder
We dare say that the Sattu porridge with its creamy consistency can easily be elevated to a gourmet breakfast with the addition of sliced almonds, slivered pistachios and chopped apricots, dates and raisins.
Sounds so good doesn’t it? Try our Sattu atta and tag us in your Sattu breakfast pictures.
