​Janmashtami 2025: 5 savoury snacks perfect for fasting and feasting​

Janmashtami carries a special energy; a mix of devotion, celebration, and sensory richness that fills homes and temples alike. The temple bells, the shimmer of fresh marigold garlands, and the whiff of ghee in the air turn the day into something more than just a date on the calendar. It’s devotion, it’s tradition, and it’s also about food that feels celebratory even when it follows the rules of a vrat. Sweets like makhan mishri and kheer may get the first wave of attention, but the savoury side is where the real surprise lies. These dishes bring balance, break the sugar spell, and keep energy steady through the day’s rituals. Here are five savoury vrat-friendly snacks that feel indulgent without straying from tradition – complete with how to make them.

Sabudana khichdi has been part of fasting menus for as long as most of us can remember. It’s light, it’s filling, and it somehow feels like home on a plate. The trick is in the soaking; give a cup of sabudana four to five hours in water, just enough to let the pearls swell without turning mushy. In a pan, warm a spoon of ghee, add a few cubes of boiled potato, slit green chillies, and a handful of roasted peanuts. The potatoes pick up a gentle golden colour, the chillies release their aroma, and the peanuts add that familiar crunch. Stir in the soaked sabudana, season with rock salt, and cook just until the pearls turn slightly translucent. Right before serving, a quick squeeze of lemon and a pinch of fresh coriander lift the flavours, making it both satisfying and gentle on the stomach – just as vrat food is meant to be.

Rajgira flour brings a nutty depth, while mashed potato keeps the dough tender. Mix a cup of rajgira flour with one boiled potato, green chilli paste, a pinch of cumin, and rock salt. Add a splash of warm water to bring it together. Roll into thin discs, cook on a ghee-brushed tawa until golden spots bloom, and serve hot. High in calcium and iron, these are easy to roll up with chutney for temple visits or to pack for family fasting together.

Kuttu flour has a quiet richness to it – nutty, earthy, and somehow grounding, especially on fasting days. In a mixing bowl, bring together a cup of this flour with fresh coriander, finely chopped green chillies, and a pinch of rock salt. Add water slowly, stirring until you have a thick, velvety batter. Slice potatoes or raw bananas into thin rounds, coat them generously, and lower them gently into hot ghee or light oil. They sizzle, the edges curl, and in minutes you have golden discs that shatter delicately when bitten, revealing a soft, tender inside. A spoon of cool mint-yogurt on the side turns them from simple to irresistible – the kind of treat that makes a vrat feel less about what’s missing, & more about what’s worth savouring.

Barnyard millet, or samak rice, makes fasting feel effortless. This version turns it into a light, tangy dhokla. Soak a cup for three hours, grind it with a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt, and let it rest for a few hours to ferment. Stir in rock salt and green chilli paste, pour the mixture into a greased steamer tray, and steam for about 15 minutes until set. Let it cool just enough to handle, then cut into squares and drizzle over a tempering of warm ghee, fragrant curry leaves, and slit green chillies. Soft, airy – and delicately spiced, it’s the kind of snack you find yourself reaching for again and again without a hint of guilt.

Paneer and potato are the power duo of vrat cooking, one brings protein, the other slow energy. Mash two boiled potatoes, mix with half a cup of grated paneer, chopped chillies, cumin, coriander leaves, and rock salt. Shape into small discs, brush with ghee, and pan-fry until the outsides are golden and crisp. Dunk them into coriander chutney and you’ve got comfort food that also ticks the fasting rules.