During the nine days of Navratri, which falls between September 25 and October 3 this year, people consume satvik (simple cook) food. Pankaj Bhadouria, the first winner of Masterchef India in 2010 who now runs a cooking academy in Lucknow, says, “Onion, garlic and turmeric, even if they grow underground, are off the list as they are heat inducing and can prove to be harmful while one is fasting. Instead, spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves are used.”

Chef Pankaj Bhadouria