Navaratri Festival Recipes | South Indian Navratri Recipes
Navaratri, a celebration of power, victory and woman. One of my favorite celebrations that I look forward to every year. Here you will find a collection of Navarathri recipes that could be made including sundal, desserts and rice recipes.
Navaratri / Navratri / Navarathri, one of my favorite festival is a celebration of Woman. In the South, we celebrate Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi in all their forms.
In Northern India, it is celebrated as Dussera, where the victory of God Rama is celebrated.
During Navaratri, we keep golu and decorate the steps with different dolls collected over the years and passed down from family.
We usually make recipes with no onions and garlic and also offer sundal and a sweet each day for neivedhiyam. I make sundal, some kind of mixed rice and a sweet on most of the days to offer as prasadam.
Sundal Recipes
Navaratri is not complete without sundal. We go golu hopping from house to house and enjoy a different variety of sundal from every house. Made with different lentils, Sundals are a power house of protein. Check out the different sundal recipes below.
Payatham Paruppu Sundal | Moong Dal Sundal
Payatham Paruppu Sundal also called pasi paruppu sundal is one of the most easiest sundal recipe. It does not need any prior soaking or planning. Navaratri season is around the corner and try this Sundal recipe for the festival.
This whole moong dal sundal also known as Pachai Payaru Sundal is a nutritious and healthy salad made with Moong / Mung bean. Perfect Sundal not just for the Navaratri festival but any time as a side or snack.
Pachai Payaru Sweet Sundal | Whole Moong Dal Sweet Sundal
Pachai Payaru Sweet Sundal is a traditional South Indian whole green gram sweet sundal recipe. This sweet version of sundal is made using whole moong dal / passi payaru legume and sweetened with jaggery.
Kondai Kadalai Sundal / Chick Peas Sundal is a very popular offering made to god for South Indian festivals especially in Tamil Nadu. It's a vegan recipe. Various sundals can be made with different legumes or lentils like black eyed peas, sweet corn, moong beans, bengal gram.
Karamani Sundal is a delicious and quick sundal / salad made with Black eyed peas also known as cow peas or karamani in Tamil. Make this for Navaratri this year.
Karamani Sweet Sundal is one of the common sweet sundal prepared during Navarathri for neivedhyam and also for a distribution to friends and relatives. It's made using Karamani and Jaggery syrup.
Festivals are not complete without payasam / kheer for offering. I usully make a sundal and a sweet and on many Navaratri days, the sweet happens to be some kind of payasam. I have included a handful of kheer recipes that I have in mind to make this year for Navarathri.
Badam Kheer | Almond Payasam
Badam Kheer is a delicious milk dessert that can be served either warm or cold. A delicious Kheer / Payasam served on festival days and on special occasions.
Thengai Paal Jevvarisi Payasam/Sago Kheer With Cocunut Milk
Jevvarisi Payasam is a sweet dish made with sago or tapioca pearls, sweetener, milk, cardamoms, cashews and raisins. This is a simple recipe that can be made in no time during festivals or occasions.
Godhumai Rava Payasam is made with broken wheat, jaggery and coconut milk and it taste so yummy. This godhuma rava payasam cracked wheat kheer is so delicious and also a healthy one.
Oatmeal Payasam | Steel Cut Oats and Coconut Milk Kheer
Steel cut oats and coconut milk kheer / Oatmeal Payasam is a delicious Kheer / payasam for the any celebration or festival. It is vegan and gluten free recipe.
Basundi or Basundhi is a famous Milk sweet loved by everyone. This is one of the favorite dessert that I make during the festival season or for special occasions.
I love making burfis or ladoos on festival days when I am inviting people over. I love packing these for my guests as a part of their Navaratri gift / tamboolam. Burfi and ladoo is a great option for dessert as well as we can make it ahead of time. This saves time on the day of the festival.
Kaju Katli | Cashew Nut Burfi
Kaju Katli is an ever favorite dessert loved my kids and adult alike. A must have sweet for any festive occasion or celebration. Made with just cashew nuts and sugar, this recipe can be made in under 20 minutes.
Mysore Pak or Mysore Pa is one of the most traditional sweet made for festivals and special occasions. I have the detailed recipe below to make the most delicious Mysore Pak perfect the first time even for beginners.
Festivals are not complete without traditional sweets. This Badam Burfi | Badam Katli | Almond Burfi is one of the ever favorite dessert and loved by kids are adults alike.
Rava Urundai or Rava Ladoo is a quick and easy traditional sweet that is loved by all. Made with roasted rava / semolina, ghee and nuts, this delicious treat can be made in under 30 minutes.
7 cup Cake or Burfi is the perfect beginner burfi recipe to make during the festival season. It is a very quick to make recipe and does not require any special skills to make. And the best part is it is ready in under 30 minutes.
A quick and easy Maida Cake / Burfi recipe to try for this Diwali. A perfect beginner recipe that does not need any special skills and can easily be made under 20 minutes.
Til Ladoo or Tilgul Ladoo or Sesame Seed Ladoo is a Sankranti special sweet from Maharashtra. A traditional sweet made with sesame and jaggery to heat the body during the winter months.
Coconut Gulkand Burfi | Coconut and Rose Petal Preserve Fudge
Coconut Gulkand Burfi is an aromatic and flavored dessert made with coconut and Rose Petal Preserve. The Coconut Gulkand Burfi had a pleasant floral after tone to it and it also gave a beautiful caramelized color to the burfi.
Ellu Urundai / Sesame Ladoo is a simple three ingredient recipe which is a popular dessert for Sankrathi as well for a casual dessert. It is the easiest dessert made with healthy white or black sesame seeds.
Gur Papdi is a popular dessert from Gujarat and is made especially in winters to increase the body heat. Made with just a handful of ingredients, this is a quick and easy dessert to make in under 20 minutes.
Besan ki Pinni or Besan Ladoo is a popular Indian sweet made from gram flour, powdered sugar and clarified butter (ghee). Pinni is like ladoo but uses ghee a lot for shaping. besan is a very popular sweet made in Haryana.
Sweet or savory rice is a great Neivedhiyam for the festival days. I almost make chakkara pongal on any auspicious day and Navaratri is no exception. Check out a few rice dishes to make this year.
Chakkara Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal
Chakkara pongal or Sakkarai Pongal is the most important recipe made on Sankrathi / Pongal day. This is not just made on that day but also for many festival and special occasions through out the year.
A Simple and flavorful rice made with a spiced coconut mixture is a delight for lunch boxes. Freshly grated coconut adds a lovely aroma to this Vegan Coconut Rice also known as Thengai Sadam in Tamil.
Lemon rice is the most simple and very flavorful rice recipes that is perfect for lunch boxes or picnic. Made with basic ingredients this Vegan rice recipe is very quick and easy to make.
If you like Lemon rice, then you will love this Maangai Sadam made with raw mangoes. The tanginess from the raw mangoes tastes amazing in this Raw Mango rice recipe.
Karuveppilai Sadam also called Spiced Curry Leaves Rice tastes even better when made with fresh homegrown curry leaves. A great lunch or dinner option.
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AN awesome collection of recipes that can be prepared not only for Navratri but other festivals too. I really should try out at least one sundal before Navratri ends. Your Golu is really beautiful. Do you add a new doll every year to the collection?
List of Navratri recipes is coming very handy. Thanks for doing the round up. We celebrate goddess Gauri during these 9 days and one of the prasadams we offer is sesame + sugar/jaggery. This time I tried your sesame laddu. It came out really good.
Beautiful roundup of delicious recipes to make during the festival season. Thank you for all the ideas - so many to choose from. Happy Navratri to you and your family.
I like the southern interpretation celebrating the female goddesses. Regardless, you have such a great variety of sundal. I have already tried the chickpeas one and can't wait to try the others also
This is such a versatile collection of recipes Sandhya. I loved all these recipes and love to try it too.
Loved all of your collection of these delicious navratri recipes...You have lots of sudal varieties to choose from!! Aweesome share!!
A beautiful and delicious collection of Navratri festival recipes. Each recipe is so unique in its own form and delicious.
Lovely collection of recipes for navarathri sandhya! Looks very inviting. Love the ellu urundai and the maangai saadham, my favorites!
Loved your collection of delicious Navratri recipes! So many Sundal varieties to choose from ! Wishing you a blessed festivity.
Awesome collection of Navaratri recipes. We make sundal, payasam, and gudanna, and many more. These recipes are perfect and delcious!
AN awesome collection of recipes that can be prepared not only for Navratri but other festivals too. I really should try out at least one sundal before Navratri ends. Your Golu is really beautiful. Do you add a new doll every year to the collection?
Wowsome collection of Navratri recipes under one roof is kind of spoilt for choices.
Thank you so much for sharing these amazing recipes.
List of Navratri recipes is coming very handy. Thanks for doing the round up. We celebrate goddess Gauri during these 9 days and one of the prasadams we offer is sesame + sugar/jaggery. This time I tried your sesame laddu. It came out really good.
I am especially drooling at those payasams and barfis... hehe... Have a great festivity... 🙂
Beautiful roundup of delicious recipes to make during the festival season. Thank you for all the ideas - so many to choose from. Happy Navratri to you and your family.
I like the southern interpretation celebrating the female goddesses. Regardless, you have such a great variety of sundal. I have already tried the chickpeas one and can't wait to try the others also