Sakha Vrata Dishes (First month of Chaturmaas Vrata)

Prohibited ingredients

· Tamarind
· Chili
· Coriander
· Mustard
· All types of vegetables
· Fruits (Some people make an exception to Mango)
· Dry grapes
· Cardamom
· Coconut
· Nuts like Cashew, etc.


Allowed ingredients

· Pulses (except Bengal gram and fried gram)
· Pepper
· Cumin seeds
· Amla powder
· Wheat
· Sesame seeds
· Ragi
· Sooji
· Rava
· Maida
· Gingelly oil
· Ghee
· Jaggery
· Sugar
· Corn
· Amchur powder (Some people do not use this)
· Rice Flakes / Pohe

One look at the above list and you might be wondering as to what to prepare and what to eat. You will be surprised when you know that there are lot of dishes that can be prepared during this Sakha Vrata. Before I dwell into the recipes. Let me post for your benefit, the effect this Vrata could have on your body.

· Minimizes the chances of contacting with diseases.
· Get required carbohydrates to keep the energy levels
· A balanced quantity of protein is added in the food for strength.
· Pepper and Jeera are good for the digestive system and cleanses your food basket
· Less Salt, Non inclusion of Hot Spices, Chilly, etc controls the blood pressure.
· Use of Ghee gives strength to the bone marrow
· Curd and milk gives good energy and maintains the required fat to the body
· Use of Jaggary gives a good iron substitute to the body.
· Sesame seeds help to keep the body joints active.

The following are some of the benefits that I managed to collect from the net. If any of you can help me correct this list or add more to it, please send me email or post a comment and I will do the needful. Keeping in mind the fast life that we live, it is always better to have few powders ready and handy for instant use. Ready to use handy instant powders Jeera-Pepper Powder
For every one measure of Cumin Seeds take half measure of Pepper (or more if you need it more spicier). Fry them in a hot pan slightly. Grind them in a mixer and store it in a tight container.

Toor Dal Powder
Take Toor Dal and Pepper in equal measure. Fry them in a separately or fry Toor Dal first until it becomes brownish and then add pepper to it and fry them together. Add Salt and grind them in the mixer.

Urad Dal Powder
Take Urad Dal and Pepper in equal measure. Fry them in a separately or fry Urid Dal first until it becomes brownish and then add pepper to it and fry them together. Add Salt and grind them in the mixer.

White Sesame Powder
For every cup of Urad Dal, take half cup of white sesame seeds and one table spoon of pepper. Fry them separately in a hot pan and grind them in the mixer and store the powder in a tight container.

Amla Powder
Readily available in the market. This is an alternate for Lime

Aamchur Powder (Dry Mango Powder)
Readily available in the market. This is an alternate for Tamarind.

Pepper Powder
Readily available in the market. This is an alternate for Chilli.

Recipes will follow soon…..