Navratri is a period of spiritual introspection, colorful revelry, and let’s face it, delicious food. But festive foods need not be sinful.
This Navratri, step up your snacking game with 6 tasty, air-fried snack options that are light, healthy, and vrat-friendly. Whether fasting or just wanting to eat clean for the festival, these options will keep you happy on the taste buds and on track for your health goals.
And for those moments when craving meets convenience, we’ve thrown in a couple of easy wins using Blue Tribe Foods’ plant-based range so you can indulge smarter without compromising flavor.
Day 1: Air-Fried Sweet Potato Fries
Begin the festival on a crispy note with Blue Tribe Foods’ Sweet Potato Fries. Simply toss them in a small amount of sendha namak (rock salt) and some cold-pressed oil or ghee. Air-fry until golden brown and crispy.
Why it works: Sweet potatoes are chock-full of fiber and antioxidants, and these fries achieve the perfect sweet-salty flavor without the deep-fried heaviness.
Day 2: Sabudana & Peanut Tikkis
Mix soaked sabudana (sago pearls), mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, and mild spices. Make small patties and air fry until golden brown.
Why it works: Sabudana gives energy, peanuts give crunch and protein, and air fryer provides that perfect crispy texture without oil excess.
Day 3: Kuttu Flour Crackers
Prepare a plain dough from buckwheat (kuttu) flour, sendha namak, carom seeds (ajwain), and a little water. Roll thin, cut into small crackers, and air fry until crispy.
Why it works: Kuttu flour is gluten-free, high in fiber, and ideal for fasting days. These crackers are a great tea-time snack.
Day 4: Blue Tribe’s Tandoori Soya Chaap Bites
Cut Blue Tribe’s Ready-to-Eat Tandoori Soya Chaap (400g) into bite-sized pieces, brush with a thin layer of ghee, and put in the air fryer. Offer with a coriander-mint chutney or a zesty vrat-approved dip.
Why it works: These are protein-filbeat, filling, and bursting with that smoky tandoori taste without the mess or the time waiting for marination.
Day 5: Air-Fried Banana Chips
Thinly chop raw bananas, toss with a light coating of coconut oil or ghee, add a sprinkle of sendha namak, and air fry until crispy.
Why it works: Classic banana chips are deep-fried, but this air-fried alternative is equally delicious and so much lighter and they remain crunchy for days.
Day 6: Makhana (Foxnut) Chaat
Air fry makhana with a pinch of ghee until crispy. Let them cool and combine with cubed boiled potatoes, cucumber, curd (yogurt), and mint chutney for a cool vrat-friendly chaat.
Why it works: Makhana has negligible calories but good protein and calcium content. The chaat-like presentation gives it an indulgent feel, though it’s totally clean.
Guilt-Free Doesn’t Mean Flavor-Free. These 6 air fryer snacks are evidence that Navratri food can be healthy, celebratory, and flavorful all at once. With a few clever substitutions and appliances such as the air fryer, you can indulge in your favorite traditional flavors without going crazy on deep-fried indulgences.
