In this guide
Quick answer
In most Gujarati homes, dry fruits, nuts and makhana are all farali, which means they can be eaten during the Navratri upvas: kaju, badam, kishmish, dates, anjeer and makhana are the usual ones. For a family of four keeping the fast for nine days, about 2 to 2.5 kg in all is a comfortable amount.
Fasting rules differ from family to family and community to community. Some households eat once a day, some only fruit and milk, some avoid particular seeds or spices. Follow your own family’s practice; what follows is what is commonly eaten.
Why dry fruits matter more in an Ahmedabad Navratri
Navratri in Ahmedabad is nine nights of garba, often going on late. People who are fasting are also dancing for hours, and the farali plate has to carry them through. Grains are off the plate for most, so the energy comes from potato, sabudana, rajgira, singhoda, moraiyo, milk, fruit and nuts.
Dry fruits are the easiest part of that. They need no cooking, they travel in a pocket to the garba ground, and a handful goes a long way.
Which dry fruits, nuts and seeds are commonly farali
| Item | Commonly eaten on the fast? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Kaju, badam, pista, akhrot | Yes, in most homes | Snack, sheera, kheer, farali chevdo |
| Kishmish, munakka | Yes | Chevdo, sabudana khichdi, kheer |
| Khajur, anjeer | Yes | Eaten as they are, milkshakes, dry fruit laddoo |
| Makhana | Yes | Roasted snack, kheer |
| Magaj (melon seeds) | In many homes | Sheera, laddoo |
| Other seeds (chia, flax, sesame) | Varies a lot by family | Check your own custom |
Peanuts, sendha namak, sabudana and rajgira are central to farali cooking too. We do not stock those; buy them from your grocer.
Farali dishes that use dry fruits
Farali chevdo
Fried potato sticks mixed with fried peanuts, kaju and kishmish, seasoned with sendha namak, a little sugar and black pepper. For a 500 g batch, use about 50 g kaju and 30 g kishmish. Kaju Tukda works well here, because the pieces fry evenly.
Sabudana khichdi
Many Gujarati cooks add a few kaju or kishmish with the peanuts. A tablespoon of each is enough for two people.
Rajgira or singhoda sheera
The flour is roasted in ghee, then cooked with milk or water and sugar, and finished with chopped badam, kaju and elaichi. About 20 g of nuts for every 100 g of flour.
Makhana kheer and roasted makhana
Makhana roasted in a spoon of ghee with sendha namak and black pepper is the simplest farali snack there is. For kheer, roast 50 g makhana, crush half, and simmer in a litre of milk with sugar and elaichi.
Dry fruit milkshake
Two or three soaked dates, a couple of anjeer, a few soaked badam and a glass of cold milk, blended. It needs no added sugar if the dates are soft.
How much to buy for nine days
These amounts are for a family of four where two or three people are fasting.
| Item | For nine days |
|---|---|
| Makhana | 250–500 g |
| Kaju (whole and tukda) | 500 g |
| Badam | 250–500 g |
| Kishmish | 250 g |
| Khajur | 500 g |
| Anjeer | 250 g |
| Magaj (optional) | 100 g |
That is about 2 to 2.5 kg. If the whole family is fasting and you are also making chevdo in bulk, add another 250 g each of kaju and kishmish.
For dates, a soft variety like Kimia Black Dates is easy to eat straight and blends well. Our guide on how to judge a good khajur helps if you are choosing between types.
A word on eating during the fast
Dry fruits are dense. By standard nutrition tables, almonds and cashews have roughly 550 to 600 kcal per 100 g, and dates about 280 per 100 g, so a handful is filling. Anyone who is pregnant, diabetic or managing a health condition should ask their doctor before fasting and about how many dates and dried fruits suit them.
Ordering before Navratri
Navratri falls in September or October. Orders to Ahmedabad usually arrive in two to four days, but couriers are busy in the festival weeks, so order a week before the first day. Browse the makhana shelf and the rest of the range, and check today’s dry fruit prices in Ahmedabad. Delivery is free on every order, and orders start at ₹1,500.
Questions people ask
Is makhana allowed in the Navratri fast?
In most Gujarati homes, yes, and it is one of the most common farali snacks. Customs vary, so follow your family’s practice.
Can I eat chia or flax seeds during upvas?
It depends entirely on the family. Some include them and many do not, so check what your household follows.
Which dry fruits give the most energy for garba nights?
Dates are quick and filling, and nuts keep you going longer. A few of each before you head out is what many people do.
How long will dry fruits bought for Navratri keep?
In airtight jars in a cool cupboard, whole nuts and dried fruit will easily last the nine days and a good while after. Keep makhana sealed so it stays crisp.
Written at our counter, where these questions get asked every week.
