Let's talk about SAGO PEARLS or you can also use TAPIOCA PEARLS or as we like to call it in India SABUDANA. Sago Pearls are a must-have during the Fasting season or any Indian festival that calls for fast- I thought of sharing this easy recipe of #sabudanakhichdi
or you can also call it Sago Pearl Pilaf.
This khichdi doesn’t use a lot of spices as it's made during the fasting season and it is the simplicity in flavors of the dish that makes it wonderful.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
1 cup sabudana/sago pearls
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil use oil of choice
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium potato, diced small/ around 1 cup diced potatoes
1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
1-2 green chili chopped, adjust to taste
6-7 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, use sendha namak if making this for fast
1/2 teaspoon sugar optional
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
Instructions
1. Once you are done with rinsing and soaking the sabudana; heat oil in a pan on medium heat, add the cumin seeds, and let them sizzle for few seconds.
2. Then add the diced potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often until potatoes are almost cooked.
3. Add the crushed peanuts and for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Then add the green chili, curry leaves and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the drained sabudana to the pan along with salt and sugar. Mix until well combined.
5. Cook for few minutes until most of the sabudana pearls become translucent, stirring once or twice. Do not cook it for a long time else it will become sticky.
6. Remove pan from heat. Add lemon juice and cilantro and toss to combine.
7. Serve sabudana khichdi hot with chilled yogurt/or Chai like I prefer sometimes.
NOTE: Cooking Tips on how to make Perfect Sabudana Khichdi
Rinsing sabudana well a few times is the first important step. This helps to get rid of the excess powdery starch from the pearls. If not rinsed well, the pearls will stick up to each other and clump up. I rinse them thrice in an ample amount of water rubbing them well.
Soaking sabudana using water just as needed is the next important step. There are 2 ways you can soak them for a perfect texture. The first one is to use ¾ cup of water for every cup of sabudana. The second method is to soak them in water just enough to immerse them. More details below.
Draining sabudana is optional but is recommended just to ensure there is no excess moisture. I usually skip this step as I find no excess moisture in the sabudana after soaking them well with ¾ cup water.
Cooking the pearls for longer makes them sticky and will turn to lumps. Sabudana needs to be cooked only for 2 to 3 mins. Within this time they turn transparent meaning they are cooked.