Sabudana Khichdi is a delicious and nutritious recipe cooked with Tapioca pearls/Sago, potatoes, roasted peanuts, especially during the fasting season of Navratri or Maha Shivaratri in India. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or evening snacks with tea. Vegan and Gluten-free.
Jump to:
- What is Sabudana?
- What is Sabudana Khichdi?
- Ingredients for Making Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
- How to Make Sabudana Khichdi
- How to Serve Sabudana Khichdi?
- Storage Suggestions
- Tips to make Perfect Sabudana Khichri
- Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Sabudana Recipes
- More Indian Breakfast Recipes
- Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
What is Sabudana?
Sabudana, also known as tapioca pearl or sago, is a starch extracted from tapioca roots and processed into pearl-like spears.
It contains a high amount of carbohydrates, making it a fast energy booster. Due to its neutral flavor can also add texture to bread and soups without affecting the taste. (Source Healthline)
What is Sabudana Khichdi?
Sabudana Khichdi (Khichri) is a classic Indian dish made from soaked sabudana, boiled potatoes, roasted peanuts, curry leaves, and a few essential spices. The term Sabudana means Tapioca Pearls or sago, and Khichdi means a mixture of more than 2 things.
It is popular in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
Sabudana khichdi is eaten during the Hindu fasting (vrat or upwas) days, like Mahashivratri, Navratri, Krishna Janmashtami, Ekadashi, or Ganesh Chaturthi. But you can also eat it for breakfast or dinner.
Ingredients for Making Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
List of ingredients to make the sabudana khichdi recipe.
- Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls): I have used small tapioca pearls in this recipe. They can be easily found in Indian Grocery stores or on Amazon.
- Potatoes: potatoes are used in this recipe as they are consumed during fasting. However, you can make this khichdi without potatoes as well.
- Spices: Only cumin (jeera) seeds are used in the traditional sabudana khichdi recipe. However, you can add turmeric as well.
- Ginger: I have minced fresh ginger. You can skip it if making for vrat/fasting.
- Green Chilies: I have used Thai green chilies for the heat.
- Curry Leaves: gives extra flavor to the khichdi.
- Peanuts: Sabudana khichri tastes very good with roasted peanuts. It adds crunch and nutty flavor to the dish. You can add lightly crushed or halved peanuts.
- Oil: You can use any cooking oil.
- Seasonings: add salt and sugar for seasoning. If making for fasting, replace regular salt with sendha namak (rock salt). Sugar helps to balance out the flavors, but it's optional.
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice tastes best.
- Coriander leaves: for garnish.
How to Make Sabudana Khichdi
Step 1: Preparation
Rinse the sabudana well underwater until you get rid of the excess starch, and drain all the water.
Then soak the rinsed sabudana in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours (time for perfectly soaked sabudana may vary based on the quality of sabudana). After soaking, you will find sabudana double in size, and you can easily mash it between your fingers. Drain the excess water using a colander. Keep aside.
Dry roast peanuts in a pan on medium heat or air fryer till they are nicely roasted. Once they cool down, half them or lightly coarse them in a blender. Keep them aside.
2. Preparing the Sabudana Khichdi
Heat oil in a Kadai. Once it's hot, add cumin (jeera) seeds and let them splutter.
Next, add diced potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes till they are tender and nicely cooked (You may also use pre-boiled, peeled, and cubed potatoes to it and saute for 2 minutes).
Add chopped green chilies, ginger (optional), curry leaves, and cook for another minute.
Add the drained sabudana, roasted crushed peanuts, salt, sugar, and mix until well combined. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes till the pearls look translucent. Stir in between. Don't overcook sabudana. Otherwise, it would turn mushy and lumpy.
Next, turn off the gas and, add lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves and toss well to combine.
Serve the Sabudana khichdi piping hot on a serving plate with yogurt.
How to Serve Sabudana Khichdi?
Enjoy Sabudana Khichdi as is or with raita or yogurt. I also like to pair it with a hot cup of masala tea or coffee to make an enjoyable breakfast.
Storage Suggestions
- Store: You can store leftover sabudana khichdi in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: You can freeze in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock for up to 1-2 months.
- Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat in a microwave or stovetop non-stick pan until warm. If frozen, thaw it first over the kitchen counter for a few hours and then microwave.
Tips to make Perfect Sabudana Khichri
- Soaking Sabudana: Soaking the sabudana for at least 2-3 hours is important. Mash between your fingers to check if they have soaked well. They should be easily mashable.
- Drain the water: Drain the water completely from the soaked sabudana using a colander before cooking.
- Good Quality: Use good quality sabudana to get a nonsticky texture.
- Cook in a heavy-bottom pan: Cook sabudana khichri in a heavy-bottom or non-stick pan to prevent sabudana from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Avoid over-stirring: Do not stir too much while cooking sabudana khichdi, as they may stick to each other, and become mushy.
- Roasting Peanuts: You can roast peanuts in a pan, microwave, or air fryer. I love roasting peanuts in Air Fryer. Crush them after they have cooled.
Variations
- Fasting: If you make this recipe for Navratri (fast), replace regular salt with sendha namak (rock salt).
- Veggies: You may also use vegetables like green beans, carrots, and peas to make them healthier.
- Ginger: I used ginger, you can skip it if you don't prefer it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, of course, you can add onions which makes the khichdi tasty. You can also add other vegetables like beans, carrots, and potatoes. If you are making sabudana khichdi for fast, then skip onions.
Yes, you can, but I recommend adding roasted peanuts to this dish. It gives a nice crunch and adds taste to the dish. But, of course, you can skip it if you have a nut allergy.
Yes, you can. During fasting, potatoes are added as they are high-energy foods. However, sometimes I replace the potatoes with vegetables and make sabudana khichdi without potatoes.
Yes, this recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
Sabudana is a rich source of carbohydrates and also contains essential nutrients, including fiber, calcium, protein, and potassium. So Sabudana Khichdi can be considered healthy.
If you have diabetes, then make sure to eat in moderation.
Once the sabudana is soaked completely, drain the excess water and store it in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
No, You cannot prepare sabudana khichdi without soaking sabudana. You must soak them for a few hours until they are soft and double in size.
More Sabudana Recipes
More Indian Breakfast Recipes
- Rava Upma
- Poha
- Bread Upma
- Spinach Corn Sandwich
- Vegetable Panniyaram (Paddu)
- Puffed Rice Upma
- Curd Sandwich
- Neer Dosa
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Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sabudana (sago or tapioca pearls)
- 2 cups water for soaking
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium potato diced into ¼ inch cubes
- 3 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced, optional
- ¼ cup peanuts roasted and crushed
- salt to taste, (use sendha namak if making for fast)
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
Instructions
Step 1:Â Preparation
- Rinse the sabudana well underwater until you get rid of the excess starch and drain all the water.Then soak the rinsed sabudana in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours (time for perfectly soaked sabudana may vary based on the quality of sabudana. After soaking you will find sabudana double in size and you can easily mash between your fingers. Drain the excess water using a colander. Keep aside.
- Dry roast peanuts in a pan on medium heat or air fryer till are nicely roasted. Once they cool down, half them or lightly coarse them in a blender. Keep aside.
2. Preparing the Sabudana Khichdi
- Heat oil in a Kadai. Once it’s hot add cumin (jeera) seeds and let them splutter.Next, add diced potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes till they are tender and nicely cooked (You may also use pre-boiled, peeled, and cubed potatoes to it and saute for 2 minutes).
- Now add chopped green chilies, ginger (optional), curry leaves, and cook for another minute.
- Add the drained sabudana, roasted crushed peanuts, salt, sugar and mix until well combined. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes till the pearls look translucent, stir in between. Don't overcook sabudana, otherwise, it would turn mushy and lumpy.Next, turn off the gas and add lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves and toss well to combine.
- Serve the hot Sabudana khichdi on a plate with yogurt.
Video
Notes
Tips to make Perfect Sabudana Khichri
- Soaking Sabudana: Soaking the sabudana for at least 2-3 hours is important. Mash between your fingers to check if they have soaked well. They should be easily mashable.
- Drain the water: Drain the water completely from the soaked sabudana using a colander before cooking.
- Good Quality: Use good quality sabudana to get a nonsticky texture.
- Cook in a heavy-bottom pan: Cook sabudana khichri in a heavy-bottom or non-stick pan to prevent sabudana from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Avoid over-stirring: Do not stir too much while cooking sabudana khichdi, as they may stick to each other, and become mushy.
- Roasting Peanuts: You can roast peanuts in a pan, microwave, or air fryer. I love roasting peanuts in Air Fryer. Crush them after they have cooled.
Variations
- Fasting: If you make this recipe for Navratri (fast), replace regular salt with sendha namak (rock salt).
- Veggies: You may also use vegetables like green beans, carrots, and peas to make them healthier.
- Ginger: I used ginger, you can skip it if you don't prefer it.
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