Simple Sabudana Khichdi Recipe

Simple Sabudana Khichdi Recipe for Fasting: A Delightful Navratri Dish

If you’re seeking a dish to excite your taste buds during Navratri or Janmashtami fasting, consider Sabudana Khichdi. This delightful dish, devoid of onions and garlic, perfectly fits a Saatvik diet. Making it an ideal accompaniment during festive fasting periods. However, its appeal extends beyond specific occasions, offering a delightful treat throughout the year.

I have a fondness for the consistency and texture of sabudana, also known as tapioca pearls. Crafting this recipe is straightforward, requiring minimal ingredients—primarily centred around soaking sabudana in advance—allowing you to prepare it effortlessly! Originating from the western regions of India, particularly Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, Sabudana Khichdi stands out as a fasting staple.

Pair it with a generous serving of yogurt to enhance its flavours, creating a satisfying meal. This gluten-free, vegan recipe caters to health enthusiasts and weight watchers alike. Providing a burst of energy thanks to its nutrient-rich composition. With readily available ingredients like potatoes, roasted peanuts, lemon juice, green chillies etc, you can whip up this delicious khichdi with ease.

While simplicity characterises this dish, its flavour is far from bland. However, during fasting seasons, limit the use of spices, allowing the inherent flavours to shine through. Nevertheless, simplicity doesn’t mean lack of finesse; Sabudana Khichdi can turn into a disaster if not prepared correctly.

The most common challenge is the clumping of sabudana pearls, resulting in an unappetising mess. But fear not! With the right method, you can avoid this issue and achieve a perfect consistency that’s both pleasing to the palate and the eye.

So, if you’re ready for a culinary adventure this festive season, give this easy Khichdi a try and savour its comforting flavours with your loved ones.

Helpful Tips to Prevent Sticky Sabudana:

1. Rinse the sabudana thoroughly before soaking, rinse it 2-3 times until the water turns clear to remove the starch. This step is crucial before soaking the sabudana.
2. Soak the sabudana overnight. While some recipes suggest soaking for 4 or 6 hours, soaking overnight works best in my experience.
3. Use a 1:1 ratio of sabudana and water. For 1 cup of sabudana, use 1 cup of water to soak it.
4. Avoid using too much water. The biggest mistake leading to clumpy khichdi is using excessive water. You want the pearls to be just submerged in water. Using too much water will result in a gloopy mess!
5. Check if the sabudana has been properly soaked by pressing a pearl between your thumb and index finger. It should easily smash.
6. Once you add the sabudana to the pan, do not cook or stir it for too long. Cook for a few minutes until most of the pearls become translucent. Overcooking and stirring for too long will cause them to stick together.
7. By following these tips carefully, you’ll have a perfect, non-sticky sabudana khichdi ready in no time!

Ingredients Used to Make Simple Sabudana Khichdi Recipe:

• Sabudana: You’ll need medium size sabudana, or sago pearls, which you can easily find at any Indian grocery store.
• Potatoes: This dish relies solely on potatoes as the vegetable component. Potatoes are a popular choice during fasting periods as they offer long-lasting satiety, making them essential in Navratri khichdi.
• Spices: Keep the spice level minimal with just red chilli powder and sometimes cumin seeds.
• Roasted Peanuts: No sabudana khichdi is complete without the addition of roasted peanuts! Crush them before adding to the khichdi for optimal flavour.
• Curry Leaves and Chillies: These fresh ingredients provide a burst of flavour to the khichdi, especially important given the limited use of spices.
• Seasonings: Season with salt and a touch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Fat: Use ghee or oil to prepare the khichdi.

For fasting purposes, use rock salt (sendha namak) instead of regular salt. Finish off the khichdi with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped coriander for the perfect finishing touches.

How to Make Simple Sabudana Khichdi Recipe:

1. Rinse the sabudana under running water until the water runs clear to remove starch.
2. Transfer the rinsed sabudana to a large bowl and add exactly 1 cup of water. Cover and soak overnight.
3. In the morning, check if the sabudana is ready by pressing a pearl between your thumb and index finger – it should squash easily.
4. Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add diced boiled potatoes and cook they start to turn brown.
5. Add roasted crushed peanuts, chopped green chillies, and chopped curry leaves to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes.
6. Add drained sabudana to the pan along with salt and red chilli powder. Mix well.
7. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes until most sabudana pearls become translucent, stirring occasionally.
8. Add sugar, lemon juice and coriander, then toss to combine.
9. Serve hot with chilled yogurt. Enjoy your delicious sabudana khichdi!

Looking for More Indian Recipes?? Here are few of Our Favourites :

1. Kalmi Vada
2. Beetroot Cutlet with Kasundi Chutney
3. Coriander Fritters with Spiced Yoghurt

If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on our blog let us know how liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more amazing recipes!!

Simple Sabudana Khichdi Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 5 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1.5 cups dry medium size sabudana 
• 1.5 cups of water to soak 
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
• ½ cup diced boiled potatoes
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• 2-3 green chilis, finely diced
• 5-6 curry leaves , finely chopped 
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp rock salt
• 2 tsp granulated sugar 
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp finely chopped coriander 

method

1. Wash the sabudana thoroughly and soak it in 1.5 cups of water in a large bowl overnight, making sure not to add more water than necessary. Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight.
2. Dry roast the peanuts, remove the peel, and crush half of them coarsely in a blending jar. Reserve the remaining half for later use.
3. Heat ghee in a wide non-stick skillet or large non-stick pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds (if using) and allow them to splutter for a few seconds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the diced boiled potatoes along with ½ tsp of salt. Cook the potatoes for a few minutes until they start to brown.
5. Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the crushed peanuts, chopped green chillies, and chopped curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
6. Add the drained sabudana, chilli powder, and remaining salt. Stir well and cover. Continue to cook for an additional 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sabudana turns transparent.
7. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and taste, adjusting the seasonings as needed.
8. Serve hot, garnished with more coriander leaves. Enjoy your delicious sabudana dish!

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