Falahari Namkeen: What to Eat During Vrat and Upvas

During Navratri, Ekadashi, Janmashtami and other vrat days, most everyday snacks are off the table. Regular namkeen is usually built on besan (gram flour) and seasoned with table salt, neither of which is eaten on fasting days in most households. Falahari namkeen exists to fill that gap.

What makes a snack falahari

Falahari (or phalahari) snacks are built from ingredients traditionally permitted during a fast:

• Sabudana (tapioca pearls)
• Potato, usually as sticks or thin chips
• Peanuts and other nuts
• Raw banana
• Singhara and kuttu flour (water chestnut and buckwheat)
• Rock salt (sendha namak) instead of ordinary salt

Equally important is what they leave out: no wheat, no besan, no rice, no onion, no garlic, and no regular salt.

An honest note on fasting rules

Fasting practice is not uniform. Some families eat potato and sabudana freely; others avoid root vegetables entirely. Some permit peanuts, others do not. Rules also differ between Navratri, Ekadashi and Shivratri.

So rather than trusting a label, read the ingredient list and judge it against your own family’s practice. Any shop that tells you a snack is universally fast-safe is overselling.

Our fasting range

We make a small falahari range rather than a large one, because we would rather make a few things properly:

• Sabudana Chewda — sabudana, potato sticks and peanuts, seasoned with rock salt
• Banana Chips — raw banana fried in coconut oil, finished with rock salt
• Roasted Flax Seeds — dry-roasted alsi with rock salt
• The full Fasting Range, including Sagari Mathri and Sagari Bhujia

Making sabudana chiwda at home

If you would rather make your own, the method is simple:

You need: 1 cup sabudana, half a cup peanuts, a handful of potato sticks, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 8–10 curry leaves, 1 green chilli, rock salt to taste, oil for frying.

Method: Rinse the sabudana and spread it out to dry completely — any moisture makes it clump in hot oil. Fry it in small batches until the pearls puff up, which takes seconds rather than minutes. Drain. Fry the peanuts, then the potato sticks. In a little of the same oil, temper the cumin, curry leaves and chilli. Mix everything together and season with rock salt while still warm.

It keeps for two to three weeks in an airtight container.

FAQ

Is sabudana allowed during Navratri?
In most households yes, and it is one of the most common vrat ingredients. Some families avoid it, so follow your own practice.

Why rock salt instead of ordinary salt?
Sendha namak is unprocessed and is traditionally the only salt eaten on fasting days. Regular iodised table salt is avoided.

Can I eat peanuts while fasting?
Peanuts are widely eaten during vrat and are a useful source of energy. A few families do avoid them, so check against your own practice.

How long do falahari snacks keep?
Stored in an airtight container away from moisture, they generally stay fresh for a few weeks. Keep them sealed, as sabudana and potato absorb humidity quickly.