Why Air-Fry Your Fasting Favourites?
The tradition of Sawan fasting involves eating simple, sattvic food, but many popular snacks are deep-fried. This can feel heavy and counterintuitive to the purpose of a light diet during the monsoon, a time when Ayurveda suggests our digestion is weaker.
An air fryer provides a modern solution to this dilemma. By circulating super-hot air, it achieves a crispy, golden-brown texture similar to deep-frying but with a fraction of the oil. This significantly reduces the calorie and fat content, making your fasting meals lighter and easier to digest. It also means less time spent over a hot pan and a much cleaner kitchen, allowing you to focus on the spiritual aspects of the month.
1. Crispy Air-Fried Sabudana Vada
Sabudana vada is a beloved fasting snack, but it’s notorious for absorbing oil. The air fryer makes them delightfully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. To make about a dozen vadas, mix 1 cup of soaked sabudana with 2 boiled, mashed potatoes, ½ cup of coarsely crushed roasted peanuts, finely chopped green chillies, and sendha namak (rock salt) to taste. Shape the mixture into flat patties. For best results, let them chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm up. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C, brush the vadas lightly with ghee or oil, and place them in the basket in a single layer. Air fry for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden and crisp.
2. Guilt-Free Kuttu Ke Pakore
Kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) is a staple during Hindu fasts. These pakoras are traditionally deep-fried, but they become wonderfully light and crunchy in an air fryer. To prepare, make a thick batter with 1 cup of kuttu atta, water, sendha namak, and spices like cumin and black pepper. You can add grated potato or paneer to the batter for extra texture. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto a liner in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch. Brush the tops with a little ghee and air fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping them once, until they are cooked through and crispy.
3. Healthy Sweet Potato (Shakarkandi) Tikki
Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of energy during fasts. To make these healthy tikkis, boil and mash 2-3 medium sweet potatoes. Mix in ¼ cup of roasted peanut powder, chopped green chillies, and sendha namak. Shape the mixture into small, flat patties. If the mix is too soft, you can add a tablespoon of singhara atta (water chestnut flour) as a binder. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Lightly brush the tikkis with oil and cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning them over once, until they are firm and have a beautiful roasted exterior. Serve with a side of yogurt.
4. Spiced Arbi (Taro Root) Fry
Arbi, or taro root, has a unique, satisfying texture that works wonderfully in an air fryer. Start by boiling the arbi until it's tender but still firm. Once cool, peel and gently press each piece flat with your palm. In a bowl, toss the flattened arbi with a little oil, sendha namak, black pepper powder, and a pinch of amchur (dry mango powder) for tanginess. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 200°C for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until the edges are brown and crispy.
5. Air-Fried Farali Pattice
This Gujarati snack features a potato shell with a sweet and savoury filling. For the filling, mix grated fresh coconut, chopped nuts (cashews and peanuts), raisins, green chillies, and a hint of lemon juice and sugar. For the outer layer, use boiled, mashed potatoes mixed with a binding agent like singhara atta and sendha namak. Take a portion of the potato mix, flatten it, place a spoonful of the filling in the center, and seal it into a ball. Lightly flatten the pattice, brush with oil, and air fry at 180°C for 15-20 minutes, flipping carefully until both sides are golden brown and crisp.
6. Roasted Makhana (Fox Nuts)
Perhaps the simplest and healthiest fasting snack, makhana becomes incredibly crunchy in an air fryer in just minutes. Take two cups of plain makhana and place them directly into the air fryer basket. You can toss them with a teaspoon of melted ghee and a sprinkle of sendha namak beforehand, but it's not strictly necessary. Air fry at 180°C for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They are ready when they become crisp and break easily. This is a perfect light snack to munch on between meals.
