Sabudana Khichdi: Soft, Non-Sticky and Ready in 20 Minutes

Sabudana khichdi is a light, filling dish made during Navratri and other fasting days, and it works just as well as a weekday breakfast. The secret to perfect khichdi is soaking the sabudana correctly.

Soaking time: 4 to 6 hours or overnight | Cook time: 15 minutes | Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup (about 160 g) sabudana (tapioca pearls)
• 1/2 cup (about 70 g) raw peanuts
• 1 medium potato, boiled, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons ghee or groundnut oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
• 8 to 10 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon sendha namak (rock salt), or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Method

• Rinse the sabudana two or three times until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch.
• Soak in just enough water to cover the pearls by about half a centimetre. Leave for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
• Press a pearl between your fingers. It should mash easily with no hard centre. If it is still hard, sprinkle a little water and wait 30 minutes more.
• Dry-roast the peanuts in a pan until crisp, cool, rub off the skins and crush coarsely.
• Mix the soaked sabudana with crushed peanuts, salt and sugar. This coats each pearl and helps prevent sticking.
• Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds, then green chillies and curry leaves.
• Add the potato cubes and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the sabudana mixture and cook on low to medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring gently, until the pearls turn translucent.
• Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and coriander, and mix.

Tips

• Too much water while soaking makes the khichdi mushy; too little leaves it hard.
• Do not overcook. Pearls become chewy and sticky once they go past translucent.
• Serve hot with plain curd.

Fasting note

Rules for fasting foods differ by family and region. Some households avoid green chillies, curry leaves or certain spices during a vrat, so adjust the recipe to your own tradition.

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Food safety

Soaked sabudana is best cooked the same day. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and eat within a day. Use clean water for soaking. General food-safety guidance is available from the FSSAI's Eat Right India portal.