Ram Navami 2024 recipes: On the final or ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, Ram Navami is celebrated every year, commemorating the birth of Maryada Purushottam Lord Rama, also known to be the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On this auspicious occasion, devotees visit temples, observe fast, perform special puja at home and seek blessings from Shri Ram and his consort Sita Mata. This year Ram Navami is being celebrated on April 17, Wednesday. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country from North to South. In South India, panakam, Neer Mor, Kosambari, payasam is prepared while in North India besan laddoo, coconut barfi, sooji halwa, kale chane and poori are prepared on the occasion. (Also read | Ram Navami 2024: Date, puja timings, rituals, history and celebrations)

Ram Navami is the time for family get togethers and preparation of elaborate festive meals. Here are some traditional recipes that are commonly prepared during Ram Navami, as shared by Susmita N, Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru, Bellandur.

1. PANAKAM

Panakam is a refreshing drink made with jaggery (or sugar), water, cardamom, and pepper. It’s perfect for cooling down during the festival.

Ingredients

Jaggery (or sugar) – 1 cup

Water – 4 cups

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Dry ginger powder (optional) – 1/4 tsp

Black pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp (optional)

Instructions

• Dissolve jaggery in water.
• Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, and black pepper.
• Stir well until jaggery completely dissolves.
• Add lemon juice for a tangy taste (optional).
• Serve chilled.

2. PEAS KHEER

Ingredients

1 cup green peas

1 litre milk

4 cardamom

Sugar as per taste

5 tablespoon ghee

Mix of almonds, pista, raisin-fistful

Method

• Boil peas and puree it to fine paste.
• In a pan add ghee, peas paste, milk and boil it. Keep the flame low so it does not get burnt.
• Once the mixture boils into half, add sugar, cardamom powder and stir well.
• In smaller pan add ghee and roast Pista, raisin, and almonds. Cool it down and add it to the kheer.
• Serve hot.

3. BOTTLE GOURD KHEER

Ingredients

1 cup bottled gourd-peeled and grated

500 ml milk

1 tsp cardamom powder

Sugar/jaggery-1/2 cup

5 tablespoon ghee

Mix of almonds, cashews, raisin-fistful

Method

• Boil grated bottle gourd with milk until it is cooked well.
• Add sugar/jaggery and cook for a few minutes.
• Add cardamom powder and stir well.
• In smaller pan, add ghee and roast cashews, raisins, and almonds. Add this to the kheer.
• Keep this in fridge. Serve cold.

4. COCONUT LADOO

Ingredients

3 cup desiccated coconut

280 ml sweetened condensed milk

½ tsp cardamom powder

2 tablespoon ghee

Method

• Add ghee to a pan and roast desiccated coconut for 1 minute.
• Add condensed milk and mix thoroughly on a medium heat until the mixture does not stick to the pan. Switch off the flame and add cardamom powder and mix.
• Cool to room temperature and roll it into laddoo of desired size and coat it with some desiccated coconut.