Kanjak Special: What all goes in the Ashtami/Navami Thali

Navratri is a significant festival in India that is celebrated by people all across the country. People worship Goddess Durga and keep fast during the 9 days of Navratri. Many people open their fast on the eighth day, that is Astami, while many people open it on the ninth day, that is Navami. On Ashtami or Navami, people prepare sookhe kale chane, poori, halwa and invite young girls to their home, who are also called ‘kanjak’. People wash the feet of the girls first, then tie moli around their wrist and lastly serve them the pious bhog.

As per mythology, young girls are considered to be the purest and the most auspicious form of Goddess Durga, which is why they are worshipped on the last day of Navratri.

Kanjak Puja is also done to celebrate the victory of Goddess Mahakali over demon Kalasura. When Kalasura started to wreak havoc on both heaven and earth, the Gods approached Goddess Mahakali who was reborn as Goddess Durga. She took the form of a little girl and approached Kalasura. He let down his guard and assumed that he could easily fight the girl without much effort. At this point, Goddess Mahakali pulled out her sword and killed him.

Pressure cook one cup kale channe in one cup water for two whistles. Prepare the tadka by heating 2 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add ½ tsp asafoetida, 1 tsp jeera, 1 chopped green chilli and 1 tsp sliced ginger. Fry them for a minute. Now add ½ tsp each- turmeric, red chilli powder, chana masala, dry mango powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and add the cooked kale channe to it. Cook until the kale channe are completely dry and all the water has evaporated.

Heat ½ cup ghee in a pan, add 1 cup sooji and roast well. Roast it till the colour changes to golden-brown. Now add water and mix continuously. Add water as per your need and mix well. Add ½ cup sugar and let it dissolve completely. Once the halwa thickens, it is ready. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve.

Take 1 cup wheat flour in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon sooji to it. Add salt as per taste and mix the dry ingredients well. Now add water as per need and knead well to form a soft dough. You can also add crushed jeera and ajwain to enhance the flavour of the pooris. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Now make small balls from the dough, dust them and roll them out into small pooris using a rolling pin. Now heat oil in a kadhai and keep it on medium flame. Fry the pooris till they puff up and turn golden-brown. Serve them hot along with kale channe and halwa.