Sabudana Khichdi is the very popular dish in Maharashtrian cuisine prepared with soaked sabudana, potatoes and roasted peanut powder. It is usually made during fasting days like Navaratri, Mahashivratri and Ekadashi. It is the most popular snack recipe for vrat or Hindu fast. Sabudana khichdi is an easy snack and is a good recipe to be made during fasting days but it requires little experience to get the perfect texture in the sabudana pearls.
Ingredients:
•Sabudana - 1 cup
•Oil - 2 tbsp
•Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
•Green Chilies - 2, chopped finely
•Curry leaves - 7 to 8
•Potato - 1 small, cut into small cubes
•Rock Salt to taste
•Roasted Peanuts - 2 tbsp, crushed
•Desiccated Coconut - 1 tbsp
•Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
•Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)
•Coriander Leaves - few sprigs, chopped finely
Method:
1. Wash sabudana under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak the sabudana in enough water for 2-3 hours or overnight.
2. Drain any excess water for at least 10 mins. This is very important step to avoid stickiness of sabudana.
3. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
4. Once hot, add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle.
5. Then add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Let them cook for 30 secs.
6. Then add cubed potatoes and rock salt. Mix well.
7. Cover the pan and cook till potatoes are cooked.
8. Once potatoes are cooked, add crushed peanuts and coconut. Mix well and cook for 1-2 mins.
9. Then add soaked-drained sabudana. Mix gently and sprinkle some water.
10. And cook for 4-5 minutes till sabudana pearls are soft and transparent. Make sure to stir, so it doesn"t stick to the bottom of the pan.
11. Finally add some lemon juice and sugar. Mix well and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve with "`Rajgira Kadhi` or `Singhare ki Kadhi` as a meal during fasting days or vrat.
Tips:
•Soak it in enough water to cover the sabudana, do not add more water, or else it will end up with a mushy khichdi. So add just enough water so that all the sago is submerged in it.
•Stir continuously or else tapioca will stick to each other.
•Check sabudana is soaked well or not. Press one soaked pearl between the fingers, it should mash very easily without any effort.