Mahashivratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Maharashtra, where Lord Shiva is worshipped, and sweet dishes are offered. Many women observe fasts on this day, breaking them after the worship. Each household prepares a variety of fasting dishes, such as sago khichdi and vada, but the repetition can become monotonous.
To add variety, we can prepare a sweet potato thalipeeth using fasting ingredients like sago, bhagar, and shingada. Here’s a simple recipe for a nutritious and filling thalipeeth for Mahashivratri.
Ingredients:
1. Amla flour - 1/2 cup 2. Singada flour - 1/2 cup 3. Bhagar flour - 1/2 cup 4. Sabudana flour - 1/2 cup 5. Sweet potato juice - 1 cup (grated) 6. Potato - 1 cup (boiled and mashed) 7. Coriander - 1/2 cup (finely chopped, optional) 8. Salt - to taste 9. Cumin seeds - 2 tablespoons 10. Green chillies - 4 (finely chopped) 11. Sugar - 1 tablespoon 12. Ginger - 1/2 tablespoon (grated) 13. Water - as needed 14. Sajuk Ghee - as needed
Recipe:
1. In a large bowl, combine amaranth, bhagar, sago, and singada flour. You can use any one of these flours instead of all. 2. Add grated sweet potato to the flour and mix by hand. 3. Incorporate finely chopped coriander (if using), salt, cumin seeds, green chillies, sugar, and ginger. 4. Gradually add water to form a dough. 5. Shape the dough into medium-sized balls. 6. On a plate lined with butter paper or a wet cloth, flatten each ball into a circular thalipeeth. 7. Heat oil or ghee in a pan and fry the thalipeeth on both sides until golden.
Serve the hot fasting thalipeeth with curd.