The Irresistible Sabudana Vada
The king of fasting snacks, sabudana vada, is traditionally deep-fried to achieve its signature crispy exterior and soft, chewy inside. An air fryer can replicate this texture with a fraction of the oil. The key is in the preparation. Ensure your soaked
sabudana (tapioca pearls) is well-drained; excess water can make the vadas break. Mix the sabudana with boiled, mashed potatoes, coarsely crushed roasted peanuts for crunch, chopped green chillies, and sendha namak (rock salt). Shape the mixture into flat patties. For the best results, refrigerate the patties for about 20-30 minutes before cooking, as this helps them hold their shape. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C, brush each vada lightly with ghee or oil, and place them in a single layer in the basket. Air fry for about 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through and brushing the other side with a little more ghee to ensure they turn golden-brown and perfectly crisp.
Sweet Potato, Savoury and Simple
Sweet potato, or shakarkandi, is a fasting staple loved for its natural sweetness and filling nature. The air fryer makes preparing it incredibly simple. For a quick snack, you can make sweet potato fries. Peel and cut the sweet potato into even-sized sticks, toss them with a little ghee, sendha namak, and a pinch of black pepper or roasted cumin powder. Air fry at 200°C for about 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the edges are beautifully caramelised and crisp. Another excellent option is a sweet potato tikki. For this, mix boiled and mashed sweet potato with a binding agent like singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour), add your preferred vrat-friendly spices, and shape into patties. A quick brush of oil and about 15 minutes in the air fryer at 180°C will yield delicious, healthy tikkis that are soft on the inside with a pleasant crust.
Perfectly Spiced Paneer Bites
Paneer tikka is a fantastic protein-rich option during fasts, and the air fryer cooks it beautifully, giving it a light char without drying it out. The secret lies in the marinade. Use thick or hung curd as a base, as regular yogurt can be too watery. To the curd, add sendha namak, black pepper, cumin powder, and a little ginger paste (if your fast allows). Cut firm paneer into one-inch cubes and marinate them for at least 30 minutes. You can also add chunks of bell peppers or tomatoes if you eat them during your fast. Arrange the marinated paneer cubes in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket. Cook at 200°C for 10-12 minutes, turning them over once midway through the cooking time. The paneer should be golden and lightly browned at the edges. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon.
Harnessing the Power of Vrat Flours
Flours like kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) and singhare ka atta are essential for making pakoras and puris during Navratri and other fasts. To make pakoras in an air fryer, the batter needs to be thicker than what you would use for deep-frying. Mix the flour with boiled and mashed potatoes, grated vegetables like bottle gourd (lauki), green chillies, and sendha namak. Add just enough water to form a thick, stiff batter. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased parchment paper inside the air fryer basket. Brush the tops of the pakoras with a little ghee or oil. Air fry at 190°C for 12-14 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure they are crisp and cooked through on all sides. These come out surprisingly crunchy and much lighter than their deep-fried counterparts.
Essential Air-Frying Tips for Vrat
To get the best results from your air fryer during fasting season, keep a few simple rules in mind. First, always preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before you start cooking; this helps in creating a crispy exterior. Second, don't overcrowd the basket. Cook in a single layer, even if it means making multiple batches. This allows hot air to circulate properly, ensuring everything cooks evenly and crisps up. Third, while the point is to use less oil, a little fat is necessary. Brushing snacks like sabudana vadas and paneer tikka with ghee or oil helps them achieve that desirable golden colour and crisp texture. Finally, remember to shake the basket or flip the items about halfway through the cooking time for even browning.
