The sacred festival of Navratri reaches its spiritual peak with Ashtami and Navami, when households across India prepare traditional prasad featuring suji halwa kala chana and puris. Celebrated with devotion and gratitude, this meal is often offered during Kanya Pujan as a symbol of blessings from Maa Durga.
Renowned chef Kunal Kapur recently shared his simple and reliable recipe for this festive combination, making it easier for families to recreate the traditional flavours at home. His version focuses on achieving perfectly fluffy halwa well-spiced kala chana and golden puffed puris that reflect both taste and tradition.
For the kala chana, boiled chickpeas are cooked with aromatic spices such as cumin ginger green chilli turmeric and coriander powder. The dish is slow-cooked to absorb all the flavours and finished with a touch of ghee for richness.
The puris are made using wheat flour salt and a bit of oil kneaded into a firm dough. After resting the dough is rolled into small discs and deep-fried until they turn crisp golden and perfectly puffed.
The highlight of the meal is the suji halwa. A sugar syrup infused with cardamom is prepared separately while semolina is roasted in ghee until fragrant and golden. Dry fruits are added for texture before the warm syrup is mixed in carefully creating a smooth rich halwa that thickens beautifully.
This prasad is more than just a meal as it represents faith sharing and celebration. Chef Kunal encourages everyone to prepare it with love and offer it to family and guests while embracing the festive spirit of Navratri.