Curd Varai (Yogurt)Ingredients: Varai: 1 cup Yogurt: 4 cups Freshly chopped coriander: 1 tbsp Pomegranate: cup Salt to tasteSeasoning: Ghee: 2 tsp Jeera: tsp Grated ginger: tsp Curry leaves: 1 sprig Dry red chillies: 4Method: Cook varai in 3 cups of water. This should take about 6 to 8 mins. Prepare for seasoning. Heat ghee in a pan and add Jeera, red chillies, curry leaves and grated ginger and fry for a while and keep aside. Mix yogurt (curds) into the cooked varai and then the seasoning mixture. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds.Shakarkandi Ki Kheer (Sweet Potato Kheer)Sweet Potato is a staple diet during fasts in India. The main ingredients of this recipe are sweet potato and milk. A combination of these two with few chosen ingredients can tantalize your taste buds.Ingredients: Grated sweet potatoes: 1 cup Milk: 4 cups Sugar: cup Grated coconut: cup Crushed cardamom seeds: tsp Ghee: 1 tsp Cashews and raisins: 1 tbsp eachMethod: Wash, peel and grate sweet potatoes. Boil the milk and add the grated sweet potato mixture and cook in the milk till it softens. Add sugar and cardamom powder and grated coconut for 3 to 4 mins. Heat ghee in a separate pan and add cashews and raisins. Once the cashews turn golden brown add it to the kheer.SabutAlooWhile most of us enjoy eating potatoes, here is a simple and tasty recipe for you to have on Ekadashi or any other day. This can also be a side dish and goes well with rotis or hot rice.Ingredients: Baby potatoes: 500gms (boiled and peeled) Yogurt: 100ml Coriander powder: 2 tsp Black pepper powder: tsp Green Chillies: 2 or 3 Grated ginger: 2 tsp Ghee: 2 tbsp Curry leaves: 10 or 1 sprig Cumin seeds: 1 tsp Sugar: 2 tsp Cloves: tsp Cinnamon: 1 inch Cardamom seeds: tsp Freshly chopped coriander: 1tsp Salt to tasteMethod: Grind together green chillies and ginger. Separately grind sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom and keep aside. Mix together boiled and peeled potatoes, yogurt, pepper powder, coriander powder, green chili and ginger paste, and the salt. Heat ghee in a frying pan and add cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the cumin seeds splutter, add potato mixture and saut till oil separates. This should take around 8 to 10mins on medium flame. Stir in occasionally. Remove from flame, mix in the powdered ingredients. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.Sabudana VadaIngredients: 1 cup Sabudana (soak for 4-5hours) 2 Big Potatoes - Boiled & Mashed 2 tbsp Chopped Cabbage 1/2 tsp Grated Ginger 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves Green Chilies to taste Salt to taste Oil for deep fryingMethod of Preparation: Heat the pan, add sabudana, sprinkle little water on it and toss it. When it is soft remove it and cool it (3-4min). Combine softened sabudana and all the ingredients and mix well. Make small balls of the mixture and press it to 2 diameter inch size. Deep fry in oil or ghee to make crispy sabudana vada.PakodaThese spicy, tasty appetizers are served with spicy chutney(ekadashi) and are best for ekadashi fasting during winters.Ingredients: 100 gms. Buckwheat Flour (kuttu) 10 gms. Rajgiri Flour 1 tbsp. ginger paste Salt to taste 2-3 boiled Potaotes 1 Carrot chopped 1 Green chilli chopped 2 tbsp. Coriander leaves chopped 4-5 Curry leaves chopped Oil for deep fryingMethod of Preparation: Mix Kuttu flour, rajgiri flour, ginger and salt. Add water and mix to form a smooth batter. Set aside. Mix mashed potatoes, carrot, green chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Make one inch diameter sized balls of the mixture. Cover the balls with the batter and deep fry in oil. Offer it to Lord Krishna and honor when hot.Sago PayasamThis is one of the most commonly made sweet during fasting days. Whole milk is used to make the payasam thick.Ingredients: cup Sago/Sabudana cup Sugar (adjust to taste) 4 cups Milk 8-10 Cashew nuts 10-12 Raisins/dry Grapes 1 tsp. Ghee tsp. Cardamom powder Few Saffron strandsMethod of Preparation: Mix 1 tbsp warm milk with saffron strands. Dry roast sago in a heavy bottom pan for couple of minutes. Add milk to it and cook till the sago becomes tender. Heat ghee in a small pan. Fry cashew nuts and Raisins. Add to the sago and mix well. Allow it to cool. Then add cardamom, sugar and the saffron mixture.Offer it to Lord Krishna and honor it.Preparation Time:30 minutesServing:3-5 peopleVarai DosaIngredients: 1 cup Varai cup grated coconut 1 cup chopped tomatoes 2 chilies Salt to tasteMethod: Soak Varai for 10 minutes. Grind Varai with all the other ingredients to make fine batter (just like dosa batter). Preheat the skillet/frying pan. Grease oil and spread the batter with the ladle to get a round shaped dosa. Flip the dosa after it is cooked on one side. Do the same for rest of the batter and serve with fresh coconut chutney.Preparation time:soaking 10 minutesGrinding and making dosa:25-30 minutes