Sabudana Khichdi (Navratri’s fasting)

Sabudana khichdi is a common and popular Navratri fasting dish. A combination of sabudana (sago pearls), boiled potato, green chili, peanut powder, and rock salt is sautéed and cooked together in ghee. A perfect and light dish to try during the Navratri fasting season. If you are newbies to this sabudana khichdi, let’s try with me to learn how to make non-sticky and fluffy khichdi at home.

About Sabudana Khichdi

Let’s discuss what the sabudana is. Sabudana are sago pearls, in which sago is the starch extracted from the stems of sago palms and is processed into small pearls or spheres. It is grown in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The origin of the sabudana khichdi is in Maharashtra, but now it has taken hold all over India. Every state enjoys this dish in its own way.

The tradition behind this sabudana khichdi is during Hindu festivals like Navaratri, Mahashivratri, and Ekadashi fasts, and any other fasting days too. All these days, the grains are restricted for eating, that’s why this is prepared. This is the delicious dish that I know in the fasting days. It is not necessary to eat this on particular days only you can prepare it anytime and any day, like your breakfast or dinner.

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What is Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana khichdi is made with sabudana, boiled potato, ginger, green chili, peanut powder, and salt. They all sauteed and cooked in the ghee till perfection! It’s a very easy process to prepare this. But the main thing is to remember here that the sabudana takes time to soak.

Soak sabudana in water for at least 3 to 4 hours or overnight. It depends on the quality of pearls. For some people, only 3 hours are enough, and some don’t. I soaked them for 3 hours, and the sabudana pearls are soft on the inside.

Draining is also necessary here. When you drain the water from soaked pearls, drain them with the help of a strainer. This helps to remove excess water if present.

At the time of cooking, cook them for 2 to 3 minutes only. If they cook more than this, they turn sticky with each other, and you won’t get the fluffy texture.

Ingredients

• Sabudana- I take one cup of sago pearls here.

• Potato- I used boiled potato here, but a raw potato is also good to use.

• Ghee- I used homemade ghee here. You can also use store-bought.

• Green chili- I used 2 green chili here because red chili powder is not usable in fast.

• Ginger- It is good for tempering the flavor of the dish. You can grate or mash it with a mortar.

• Salt- I used sendha namak (rock salt) because I prepared it for a fast.

• Peanuts- I roast 1 tbsp of peanuts and make powder in a mixer grinder. This helps to increase the flavor of the dish. You can add peanuts too, along with powder. I don’t like peanuts, so I won’t add them here.

How to make Sabudana Khichdi

1.First, take 1 cup of sabudana in a bowl.

2. Now wash it twice or thrice in clean water until its starch is removed.

3. Soak them in 1 cup of water and keep aside. Don’t soak them in extra water, as it makes them soggy and doesn’t give you a fluffy texture. Soak in equal ratio 1:1 sabudana pearls and water.

4. After 4 hours, you see the pearls are bigger in size and soft on the inside. If not, add half a cup of water and leave it for 30 minutes.

5. Now drain them in a strainer, which helps to remove extra water if present.

6. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan on low to medium heat.

7. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle.

8. Grated ginger and green chili are sauteed.

9. Add boiled diced potato and soaked sabudana to it.

10. Add 1 tsp salt and peanuts powder into it. If you want to add peanuts, add them here too.

11. Mix all the ingredients well and cook them for 2 minutes, then turn off the flame. The sabudana khichdi is ready.

Serve this sabudana khichdi hot with the bowl of yogurt or a glass of buttermilk. You can serve it with the topping of lemon juice; this will increase the taste.

Tips

• Soak the sabudana for at least 3 to 4 hours.

• Soak them in an equal ratio: 1 cup of pearls and 1 cup of water for soaking. If you soak them in extra water, this will make them soggy.

• Use a strainer to remove extra water from them.

• Cook them for only 2 to 3 minutes unless they are sticky.

Frequently Asked Questions