Fasting In Office On Maha Shivratri? Vrat Recipes You Can Make In Minutes

Maha Shivratri 2026 will take place on February 15. People celebrate this sacred day by worshipping Lord Shiva. Many devotees believe it marks the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parwati. Devotees rise early, cleanse themselves, and spend the day offering prayers to Mahadev. The festival, known as the ‘Great Night of Shiva’, usually occurs on the Chaturdashi tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalguna.

On Maha Shivratri, devotees observe a fast. Office-goers who plan to keep vrat(fast) might be looking for healthy meals that are quick to prepare and easy to pack for lunch. Here are some recipes that include common fasting ingredients and are quick to make, such as Samak rice, Sabudana, Kuttu (buckwheat), and potatoes, prepared with very little oil or ghee.

Samak Rice Pulao (Barnyard Millet): Choose Samak rice as a healthy substitute for regular rice. Soak it for 15 minutes, then sauté it in ghee with cumin, curry leaves, potatoes, and peanuts. Pressure cook it for one whistle.

Sabudana Khichdi: Soak 1 cup of sabudana for about 3 hours or leave it overnight. Cook it in ghee with cumin, green chillies, boiled potatoes, and roughly crushed roasted peanuts. Stir until the pearls turn translucent, which takes around 10–15 minutes.

Rajgira/Kuttu Paratha: Mix kuttu (buckwheat) or rajgira (amaranth) flour with mashed boiled potatoes, rock salt (sendha namak), and green chillies. Roll the dough into parathas and cook them with ghee. They stay soft for several hours.

Vrat-wale Dahi Aloo: Prepare this quick curry in under 20 minutes by simmering boiled potatoes in a yoghurt-based gravy. Season it with rock salt and green chillies. Serve it with parathas for a perfect combination.

Arbi Fry (Colocasia): Boil arbi (taro root), peel it, and slice it neatly. Shallow fry the pieces in ghee with green chillies, curry leaves, and rock salt until they turn crisp.

Quick Snacks Ideas

Makhana Namkeen (Roasted Foxnuts): Dry roast makhana in a pan, then toss it with ghee, curry leaves, peanuts, and rock salt. Enjoy it as a crunchy, light desk snack.

Sweet Potato Chaat: Boil or roast sweet potatoes (shakarkandi), cut them into cubes, and mix them with lemon juice, green chutney, rock salt, and chaat masala (if allowed).

Paneer Tikka (Vrat Style): Coat paneer cubes in yoghurt, ginger paste, rock salt, and black pepper. Pan-sear them for 5–7 minutes until golden.

Fruit Salad: Combine fruits such as apple, banana, and pomegranate. Add lemon juice and a pinch of rock salt for a fresh and simple meal.