Ekadashi Fasting Instruction and Recipie

 

Ekadashi Fasting Instructions

As part of the Ekadashi fast, our sages should remember God and control their five senses, five sense organs, and one mind. After taking a bath and meditating, the person who observes this fast should especially worship Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi, and Goddess Tulsi in the morning.

Devathuna Ekadashi - For purification of the body and mind.

It is the last of the four Ekadashis that are followed during the Caturmas. It is believed that on this day Lord Vishnu wakes up from four months of rest. From this Ekadashi onwards, devotees are free to carry on with their auspicious activities that are prohibited in this period.

Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi is celebrated as Devuthani Ekadashi (Dev Uthani Ekadashi), according to Hindu theology, Lord Vishnu sleeps for four months to awakens on this day of the year during Kartik Shukla Ekadashi.

Prabodini Ekadashi or Dev Uthani Ekadasi is observed on the eleventh day of the month of Kartik during the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of the moon. An Ekadashi is one of 24 in a year according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Malamaas, however, increases this number to 26. A major Ekadashi is the Dev Uthani Ekadashi every year.

People throng temples and do parikramas chanting and bhajans.

Utapanna Ekadashi - For the merit of offering a thousand cows to a Brahman.

It occurs during the waxing phase of the moon in the Hindu month of Kartik. The word 'Utpanna' is used for getting something or receiving something. According to religious beliefs, people who fast on Utapanna Ekadashi find all kinds of comforts and receive the shelter of Lord Vishnu after death.

A significant part of Hinduism is fasting on Utpanna Ekadashi. Hindu calendars refer to Margashirsha Krishna Paksha as Utpanna Ekadashi. Fasting the Utpanna Ekadashi fast benefits the person with Lord Vishnu's blessings, according to Hindu tradition.

The significance of Utpanna Ekadashi Vrat

The fast of Utpanna Ekadashi is believed to give a person everything they seek during the pilgrimage and the abode of Lord Vishnu. The rewards of giving on the day of fast are increased by lakhs. In the case of someone who observes the waterless fast on Utpanna Ekadashi, he is reconciled with Lord Vishnu. Observing this fast will destroy a person's sins of all kinds. In the religious scriptures, observing this fast is worth more merit than observing the Ashwamedha Yagya, performing pilgrimage, bathing, and giving charity.

Mokshada Ekadashi - For liberation.

It is a special Ekadashi that is observed once in a year. It is celebrated on Kartika Shukla Paksha (bright lunar fortnight). On one of the two days, devotees are allowed to consume Bel tree leaves and fruits. Similarly, on the second day only fruits are allowed.

A very auspicious time for fasting, bathing, charity, and cleansing are Ekadashi Tithi and Shukla Paksha of every month according to Sanatan Dharma. Fasting on Ekadashi offers immense blessings from Lord Vishnu, who sustains the universe. Mokshada Ekadashi destroys great evils. A wise and peace-giving fast that creates progeny is Ekadashi fasting. In honor of this day, it is customary to bathe in holy rivers and worship Lord Vishnu. During this fast, human sins are attenuated and the cycle of death and birth is broken.

What is not allowed on Ekadashi?

● People who are old and pregnant women should not opt for fasting.

 At the time of Ekadashi, Food such as beans and rice are not eaten, spices can be used while cooking but mustard seeds should be avoided.

● Foods such as Fruits, Milk, Nuts can be eaten at the time of Fasting.

● You can fast according to your health.

● In Nirjala Ekadashi which is without water, here you can intake milk and other fruits.

● Eating food grains, meat and fish is strictly not allowed.

● The fast should start in the morning and end in the evening except few of them have fasting ending the next morning.

● You should not indulge in activities such as violence, and lying.

Ekadashi Recipes :

Add a tulsi leaf if you want to offer it as bhog.

Ekadashi Sabudana Khichdi :

Ingredients :

● 1 cup Sago Rice/ Tapioca Pearls/ Sabudana

● Water to soak

● 2-3 potatoes – finely chopped

● 1 tsp - cumin seeds

● 1 tsp Jeera powder

● 1 tbsp sugar

● 1 tsp of pepper

● 3 tbsp - groundnut oil

● 2 whole green chillies

● 1 tsp ginger paste

● Few curry leaves

● 2 diced potatoes

● Fasting salt/ sendha salt to taste

● 1/3rd cup roasted and crushed peanut

● 1 tbsp lemon juice

● Coriander leaves to garnish

In a wide pan, Add the groundnut oil Add green chillies and curry leaves, then add jeera to splutter. Add potatoes, and cook till potatoes are 80 percent boiled. Add ginger paste, crushed peanuts, Jeera powder and pepper, fasting salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Off the gas and add the sago pearls and mix well. Once mixed well, switch on the flame and heat. Add coriander leaves to garnish.

Ekadashi Samai / Samo Khichdi :

Ingredients :

● Soaked Samo rice -1/2 cup (100 gms) soaked for half an hour.

● 2 (100 gms) - Potatoes

● 2 to 3 tbsp - Peanuts

● 3 to 4 tbsp - Ghee

● 2 to 3 tbsp (finely chopped) - Green Coriander leaves

● 1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds

● ½ tsp - roasted Cumin seeds powder

● 1 (finely chopped) Green chilies

● 6 to 8 1coarsely ground - Black pepper

● 1 tsp (or to taste - Sendha Salt

● 1 cup - Buttermilk (Chaas)

Take a pan, add ghee, to the pan, Add Jeera, while adding Jeera make sure gas is in slow. Add green chillies, and coarsely ground pepper. Add the samo rice and cook for a minute to roast this. Add fasting salt, now add 2 cups water and let it cook for 3to 4 minutes on a medium flame. Cut the potato into small pieces, add ghee to another non-stick pan, fry the potatoes in the ghee until soft. If the rice is ready, of the flame. Fry the peanuts in the ghee that is left over. Mix both potato and, peanuts and 1 cup of buttermilk to the khichdi. Mix well. Add coriander leaves to garnish. Add melted ghee on top. Serve with curd.

Ekadashi - Ash gourd Raita :

Ingredients :

● ½ cup grated and boiled – Ash gourd

● 1 tsp Jeera powder

● Fasting salt to taste

● 2 cups beaten curd

● Coriander leaves for garnish

Mix all the ingredients together. Raita is ready to serve.

Amaranth/ Rajgira Ki Puri :

Ingredients :

● 2 cups - Rajghira flour

● 1 medium sized boiled potato

● Fasting salt

● 1 tsp Black pepper

● 1 tsp Jeera

Add all the ingredients and kneed a stiff dough. Roll out using little Amaranth / Rajgira flour and oil. Fry on a fast flame.

Amaranth / Rajgira Thalipeeth :

Ingredients :

● 2 Tsps Jeera

● 2 green chilies medium sized

● Pepper

● ½ cup milk

● 2 tbsp curd

● 2-3 boiled potatoes.

● 2 cups Rajgira or Amaranth flour

● Cut coriander leaves

● 4 tbsp groundnut oil / ghee

● Fasting salt

Add all the ingredients together and kneed a soft dough. This will be like a wet dough. Make hands moist and pat on a hot pan with oil. Make sure to use groundnut oil even for roasting the thalipeeth.

Cook on slow so it cooks well from inside. Using a plate flip the thalipeeth.

Ekadashi Fruit curd :

Ingredients :

● 1 finely chopped apple

● 1 peeled - Pomegranate

● 2 chopped bananas

● ½ cup - Dates

● ½ cup - Cut deseeded green grapes

● 2 tbsps - Cashews

● 3 tbsps Kishmish or dry grapes

● 3 tbsps peanuts

● 3 cups - Sweetened beaten curd

● Jeera powder

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Makhana Kheer :

Ingredients :

● 75 gms makhana / lotus seeds

● 1 ltr full fat milk

● pinch of saffron

● 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder

● 3 tbsp chopped nuts

● 100 gms sugar

● 3 tbsp desi ghee / clarified butter

In a pan add ghee, and roast Makhanas on a slow flame. Once it is golden brown, you can add boiled milk. Add this to the pan of the makhanas. Let it boil on medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes. Add few strands of kesar, add elaichi powder, and let cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Once it is thick, mix well. Press the makhanas so they break slightly so they do not break completely. Add the sugar, and mix well. This kheer does not take very long to make. Add chopped dry fruits for garnish on top.

Sabudana Kheer :

Ingredients :

● 1 cup (sago) - Sabudana

● ½ liter Milk

Method :

Wash the sabudana to make sure you remove all the starch. Soak this sabudana in the milk for minimum an hour.

Dry Fruit kheer

Ingredients :

● ½ cup Water

● 2 litres – full fat Milk

● 6-8 strands (soaked in milk) Saffron

● 1/4th cup - Almond chopped

● 1/4th cup (chopped)- Pistachio

● 1/4th cup (chopped) Cashew nuts

● ½ tsp Cardamom powder

● condensed milk (sweetened) 300 gm

Method :

Heat a sauce pan or a kadhai, add water and milk, bring to a boil.

Add the sabudana which was soaked in the milk and cook on low flame while stirring in intervals until the milk is reduced. Add the saffron, almond, pistachio, cashew nut and cardamom powder, You can also use half cup of sugar instead of condensed milk. Add either now.

Cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold according to preference.

Garnish with few chopped nuts.