Why Air-Fry Your Fasting Favourites?
Traditionally, many Sawan snacks like pakoras and vadas are deep-fried. While delicious, they can be heavy and laden with oil, which goes against the sattvic principle of eating light, pure food. Ayurveda suggests digestion is weaker during the monsoon
months, making heavy foods harder to process. Air frying provides the perfect solution. It uses superheated air to cook food, achieving a delightful crispiness with just a fraction of the oil. This method can reduce the fat content in foods by up to 80%, making your favourite treats significantly lighter and healthier without compromising on that satisfying crunch. It’s a modern way to honour tradition while taking care of your body.
Crispy Air-Fried Sabudana Vada
Sabudana vada is a fasting staple, but the deep-fried version soaks up a lot of oil. For the air-fryer version, the preparation is nearly identical. Mix your soaked sabudana, boiled and mashed potatoes, coarsely crushed roasted peanuts, green chillies, and sendha namak (rock salt). Shape them into flat patties. For the best results, ensure the mixture isn't too moist and refrigerate the patties for about 15-20 minutes to help them hold their shape. Preheat your air fryer, brush the basket and the vadas with a little ghee or oil, and place them in a single layer. Air fry at around 180-200°C for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crisp.
Kuttu Ke Pakore (Buckwheat Fritters)
The earthy flavour of kuttu (buckwheat flour) is synonymous with fasting. To make these pakoras in an air fryer, create a thick batter using kuttu atta, grated or boiled and mashed potatoes, chopped green chillies, and sendha namak. You can add other vrat-friendly vegetables like grated bottle gourd (lauki). Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the preheated and greased air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. Spray them with a little oil and air fry at 180°C for about 12-15 minutes, turning them over midway. They will come out wonderfully crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect for a rainy Sawan evening.
Air-Fried Arbi (Colocasia) Fritters
Arbi is another vrat-friendly vegetable that tastes fantastic when air-fried. Boil the arbi until tender, peel, and gently flatten each piece with your palm. Create a simple marinade with sendha namak, black pepper, and a little cumin powder. You can also coat them lightly in singhara (water chestnut) or kuttu flour for extra crispness. Arrange the flattened arbi in the air fryer basket, spray with a touch of oil, and cook at 200°C for about 10-15 minutes, flipping once, until the edges are brown and crispy. This makes for a simple, yet incredibly flavourful, snack.
Shakarkandi (Sweet Potato) Fries
Move over, potato fries. Air-fried shakarkandi, or sweet potato, is a nutritious and delicious option for Sawan fasting. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into fry-shaped sticks. In a bowl, toss them with a teaspoon of ghee or oil, a sprinkle of sendha namak, and a pinch of black pepper powder. Spread them in a single layer in your air fryer basket to ensure they cook evenly. Air fry at 200°C for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. The natural sweetness of the shakarkandi caramelises beautifully, resulting in fries that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
