Recipe- Make Your Fasting Healthy With Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana Khichdi – a pilaf/pulao made with sago/tapioca pearls! This vegan and gluten-free dish is extremely popular in India during the fast. However if you ask me, you don’t really need an occasion to make and devour it.

Ingredients

1 cup sabudana, 180 grams, sago/tapioca pearls
1 cup water, 8 oz
1 tablespoon oil, use oil of choice, I used avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium potato, 200 grams, diced small, around 1 cup diced potatoes
2 tablespoons raw 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

Method

* Rinse sabudana under water until watern turns clear. This is important to get rid of all the starch.

* Transfer the rinsed sabudana to a large bowl and add 1 cup water to it. No more.

* In the morning the sabudana would have soaked up all the water. But you still drain it using a colander just to get rid of any excess water.

* To check if sabudana is ready to cook, press a pearl between your thumb and index finger. It should smash easily. Set it aside.

* Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.

* Then add the diced potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often until potatoes are almost cooked. It's important to dice the potatoes small here so that cook quickly.

* Add the raw peanuts and for another 2-3 minutes.

* Then add the green, curry leaves and cook for 1 more minute.

* Add the drained sabudana to the pan along with salt and sugar. Mix until well combined.

* 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.

* Remove pan from heat. Add lemon juice and cilantro and toss to combine.

* Serve sabudana khichdi hot with chilled yogurt