If you worry about sticky sabudana khichdi, read on. I am sharing lot of tips & suggestions in this post that will help you perfect it every single time!
From Shivratri, ekadashi & Janamashtami upvas to fasting season of navratri or, sometimes for morning breakfasts, sabudana khichdi was one of the most common things in my grandmother’s and mom’s kitchen. This khichdi/khichri is very popular in india during fasting and different regions of India make it in different ways.
This recipe that I sharing today is how I have always eaten it. I used to marvel at my grandmother’s fluffy, perfect sabudana khichdi every time even though she made a huge quantity for a large joint family. It takes a little bit of patience & practice to master, however trust me, this is one of the most easy recipes to make.
When I made it for the first few times in my new kitchen many years back, I could get the exact same flavors, however I struggled with the texture. A perfect sabudana khicdhi is a marriage of texture and flavors. It has to be khilli- khilli (fluffy) & mazedaar (tasty).
Lot of expensive phone calls to mom and finally I learnt the tips and tricks. There has been no looking back or unpleasant sticky clumpy khichdi since then!
What is Sabudana
Sabudana is an edible starch extracted from the core of tropical palm trees. In English, sabudana is known as sago or tapioca. The starches are collected and then processed to resemble pearls. It comes in many different sizes and the usage depends on what a recipe calls for. For making khichdi, choose medium size sabudana, while for kheer, it is best to choose small sized sabudana that cooks faster & makes a smoother pudding (less texture).
Why we eat sabudana for fast
In India, during religious fasting (vrat), consumption of grains is prohibited. So nuts, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy alternative flours like buckwheat (kuttu),amaranth, chestnut flour and sabudana are chosen for feeding the body. Sabudana is one of the most popular during navratri because it has high levels of carbohydrates and loads you with energy that keeps you feeling full longer. When cooked with potatoes and nuts, a small quantity of this khichdi makes you feel super satisfied.
About My Recipe
Since by itself sabudana tastes like nothing, when I make khichdi with it, my goal is to add tons of texture and layers of flavors to it. There are whole peanuts, crispy potato bits and tang of tomatoes and a sweet bite of raisins. However, at the same time, my recipe is very customizable and you can skip or switch ingredients as you wish. The Khichdi is
Cooked in ghee. Whether I am making it for fasting or not, I like making sabudana khichdi in ghee, its totally delicious. I use tomatoes in my recipe because thats how I grew up eating it. Tomatoes add a wonderful moistness to this khichdi. This is a north indian style sabudnana khichdi, with a tempering of cumin, ginger and green chillies. No curry leaves (however you can add if you wish). I do not add crushed peanuts. Personally, I love sabudana khichdi with more potatoes and crunchy peanuts than the sabudana itself. You can adjust the quantity of both these ingredients as per your liking.
TIPS TO MAKE Perfect NON-STICKY SABUDANA KHICHDI
Few Additional Notes
While making sabudana khichdi, dont be tempted to use less oil or ghee. It is a starchy ingredient and does need fat (ghee or oil) to taste moist and not dry. Since I add tomatoes, I avoid cooking khichdi in cast iron kadai/pan (enameled cast iron is fine). In my opinion, due to acid of the tomatoes, the khichdi tastes a bit metallic. Use a heavy pot - this recipe was high starch ingredients like potatoes and sabudana and a pot that conducts heat is always helpful in avoiding khichdi sticking to the bottom.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need. Please adjust the ingredients per what’s allowed in your home for vrat ka khana.
Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls - These are easily available in indian stores. Ghee - Makes the khichdi super flavorful. For a vegan version, simply use any cooking oil instead of ghee. Diced Potatoes - Potatoes actually make this khichdi very tasty. If you want, you can make without potatoes, however I won’t recommend. My grandmother crisped the raw potatoes in ghee, however you can use boiled potatoes too. Cumin Seeds - For tempering. Ginger - I like to finely chop it. You can grate too if you feel that the ginger is stringy. Green Chilies - Serrano or thai. These add wonderful grassy heat to the khichdi. Tomatoes - I use chopped roma tomatoes, use any variety that it not too sour. You can use cherry tomatoes too if you like them. Peanuts - When I am cooking for fasting, I start with raw peanuts and toast them in ghee. You can use store bough pre roasted peanuts as well. Cashews can be added as well. Raisins- Add a wonderful sweet element. Salt - For fasting use sendha namak(rock salt). You can add a little black pepper too for flavor. Coriander leaves/ Cilantro - Dont skip. Lime Juice or Lemon Juice - Adds the much needed tang.
How To Soak Sabudana
How To Make Sabudana Khichdi (Step Pictures)
How to Fix Sticky Sabudana Khichdi
Sabudana khicdhi gets sticky mainly due to excess starch and overcooking. Cook it on low heat and dont over cook at all. Do keep in mind that there is little you can do once sabudana khichdi is sticky. Here are a few ways that you can try to fix it.
Place the khichdi in a new clean pan/kadai and drizzle a tablespoon of ghee. Very gently mix the ghee and them warm on medium heat for a minute or so. The extra ghee can help fluff up the pearls, however be mindful of not adding too much ghee else the taste will be ruined. Add crushed peanut powder. Crushed peanut powder will absorb the extra moisture and form a coating on the pearls. Transfer the khichdi to a bowl and let it cool down completely. Sometimes, after cooking the pearls separate since the starches get time to rest. If nothing works, I suggest mixing the khichdi with boiled mashed potatoes and making pan fried tikkis out of it.
Please keep in mind that the above are suggestions only. There is no sure shot way to fix the khichdi, however you may be able to definitely avoid wastage especially with the last trick.
More Indian Fasting Recipes
Kuttu Ke Pakore Vrat Ke Aloo Sabudana Kheer Lauki Ki Kheer
title: “Sabudana Khichdi” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-28” author: “Eldon Fleury”
Sago Khichdi or Sabudana Khichdi is a very easy and quick recipe made using tapioca pearls. For the uninitiated, Sabudana or Sago or Tapioca Pearls are used on the days of fasting/vrat. During the Indian festivals like Mahashivaratri, Navratri or even on days of Ekadashi, people prepare Sabudana ki Khichdi. The ingredients to make it are very straight-forward – tapioca pearls, potatoes and peanuts are the main ingredients. What makes it so special? Getting non-sticky bouncy tapioca pearls in your khichdi makes or breaks the whole recipe.
Coming from South India, I did not have a chance to try or make Sabudana Khichdi until I moved to Bangalore. One of the fasting days, my colleague got it to office and I was intrigued. Having only ever made Payasam/Kheer with tapioca pearls, making this upma sort of dish seemed interested. But for the first couple of attempts, it was an utter failure. The khichdi became a huge mess and one sloppy glue. I started looking for tips and tricks to get perfect non-sticky Sabudana Khichdi – this Instagram post from Chaitali of colorlightsfoodie was my inspiration behind my successful attempt. I have made it a couple more times ever since and it is just so delicious. Check out other upma and khichdi recipes too!
How to make Sabudana Khichdi
📖 Recipe
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Sabudana Khichdi
Wash and drain off the tapioca pearls. There is no real soaking involved in water. Keep it covered for 6-8hrs or overnight.
The tapioca pearls should be squishy and disintegrate it when pressed. Add curd to this and mix it gently.
Meanwhile heat a cast iron skillet and heat oil. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. Fry for a few seconds.
Add diced potato and fry on low flame for 5-6 mins. Add salt as needed and continue frying on low flame for another 3-4 mins.
Add coarsely powdered roasted peanuts to the tapioca pearls, salt as needed and mix them up gently.
As potatoes are cooked to ¾th, add prepared tapioca pearls.
Stir-fry the tapioca pearls and cook them on low flame for 4-5 mins. Slowly the pearls begin to turn transparent. Cook for another couple of mins, check for doneness.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with some strong ginger tea!
Recipe Notes
The soaking time for the tapioca pearls totally depends on the type and size of the pearls. Adjust as needed. I found that the cooking time was much less on a cast iron pan and just like the texture of the khichdi as opposed to a nonstick pan.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
