Sabudana Khichdi
Make Sabudana Khichdi that's never sticky with this easy recipe. Perfect for a light meal, it’s a gluten-free Indian classic.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sabudana (sago pearls)
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- 4 green chilies
- 0.5 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 0.25 cup water for soaking
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups of sabudana (sago pearls) under cold running water in a colander until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents stickiness. Transfer the rinsed sabudana to a large bowl.
- Add 0.25 cup of water to the rinsed sabudana in the bowl. Ensure the water level is just enough for the sabudana to absorb, covering them by about 0.5 cm. Cover the bowl and let it soak for 4-5 hours, or preferably overnight, until the sabudana pearls are soft and puffy.
- Once soaked, gently press a sabudana pearl between your fingers; it should flatten easily without resistance. If not fully soft, sprinkle a little more water and let it soak for another hour. After soaking, gently fluff the sabudana with a fork to separate any clumps.
- Peel and finely dice 2 medium potatoes into 1 cm cubes.
- Dry roast 1 cup of raw peanuts in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn light brown and aromatic. Let them cool completely. Once cool, rub the peanuts between your palms to remove the skins (optional) and then coarsely crush them using a mortar and pestle or a food processor; do not make a fine powder.
- Finely chop 4 green chilies and 0.5 cup of fresh cilantro.
- In a large non-stick pan or kadai, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or vegetable oil over medium heat.
- Add 0.5 teaspoon of cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add the finely diced 2 medium potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned. You can cover the pan for a few minutes to help them cook faster.
- Add the finely chopped 4 green chilies and 0.25 teaspoon of turmeric powder to the pan. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the soaked and fluffed 2 cups of sabudana to the pan. Also, add 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 0.5 teaspoon of sugar. Gently mix everything together, being careful not to mash the sabudana.
- Cover the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sabudana pearls turn translucent. Do not overcook, or they will become sticky.
- Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the coarsely crushed 1 cup of peanuts, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 0.25 cup of fresh cilantro into the khichdi.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro if desired.