Sabudana Kichdi Recipe
An Introduction To Sabudana Kichdi Recipe
Sabudana Kichdi Recipe is a classic dish that originated from the Indian subcontinent. It is mainly made of soaked sabudhna,( i.e) tapioca pearls, mixed up with boiled potatoes and sprinkled with peanut powder.
Sabudana kichdi recipe is a desi dish from North India, popular during festival times. Sabudana Kichdi recipe is an authentic food taken during fasting, for the festivals like Dussehra, Mahashivrathri, and other religious festivals. In the state of Maharashtra, it is called as sabudana Usal.
As sabudana kichdi recipe is a protein packed dish, it is always chosen during fasting for instant energy boost. The spongy tapioca balls, when cooked up with crunchy potatoes and aromatic pea nuts, become all the more delectable and make it irresistible. A small bowl of warm sabudana kichadi would definitely satiate your hunger and satisfy your heart as well after a long day. No wonder sabudana kichdi recipe is a one pot meal, which is packed with all the nutrients required for a day. This comfort food is recommended both for children and as well as elderly people, as it is less spicy and also nourishing. Sabudana kichdi recipe is a traditional recipe, that has been carried through generations and no wonder that its popularity has reached a global appeal.
Generally when you hear the word kichdi, you will always expect some mushy rice based dish. But this sabudana kichdi recipe comes up with a surprise. Sabudana kichdi recipe is not at all mushy, and it is not rice based as well. Sabudana kichdi recipe has an interesting medley of spongy sabudhana texture, blended with the crunchy potatoes coated with the coarseness of peanut crumbles. It becomes all the more exotic when it is sautéed with a host of spices and garnished with lush green coriander leaves.
As a matter of fact, sabudana has certain amazing health benefits that are unknown to majority of the people. This is derived from the extracts of tapioca or cassava roots and is high in calories. Sabudana kichdi recipe is rich in calcium, iron and magnesium which help in bone strength and density. That is why porridge made of sabudana is being given for infants in India and as it helps in weight gain, it is a boon for under weight babies and children.
Moreover, it lowers the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis among elderly people, when it is taken on a regular basis. As it is a good source of protein, it aids in the repairing of damaged tissues and cells and therefore it is an ideal food after a heavy work out. It also helps in relieving gastric troubles and bloating. These facts make us wonder about the deep knowledge of our ancestors, who inculcated the habit of incorporating this food in our day today life and passed on to generations.
Things To Remember While Making Sabudana Kichdi Recipe :
• Soaking is a crucial step in preparing this kichadi because major flaw may happen only in this step. It should be soaked for a minimum of eight hours and a maximum of twelve hours to get the best result. Another important step in soaking is that, the amount of water you use for soaking. You must pour water just enough to immerse the sabudana and not even an inch more than that. These two steps are to be followed with utmost care and I vouch this from my personal experience. I found out this secret only after experimenting for so many years.
• There are different sizes in sabudana(small, medium and big) and it would suffice if you choose medium sized sabudana.
• As green chillies are the only source of spice in this dish, be generous in adding them, otherwise the kichidi may taste bland.
• It is better not use more than the measured quantity of peanut powder, as it may dominate the whole flavour of the dish if you overuse.
• The whole process needs to be done either in low or medium flame, in order to prevent the sabudana from getting scorched.
Let us see the method on how to makesabudana kichadi within minutes in a simple way.
Ingredients Required To Make Sabudana Kichdi Recipe
How To Make Sabudana Kichdi Recipe
To Make sabudana kichdi, Take a cup of sabudana in a bowl and wash them twice or thrice till the starch gets washed away fully.
Pour water into the bowl until the sabudana gets completely immersed. Let the water level be exactly just above the sabudana balls.
Close the bowl with a lid and let it soak for eight to ten hours approximately.
Wash and clean the vegetables.
Slit the green chillies and peel off the potatoes.
Chop them into small cubes and put them in a bowl of water.
Similarly, finely chop the curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Place a pan in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
Add ¼ cup of peanuts into the pan and just dry roast them for a few minutes.
After a while when then peanuts get roasted, switch off the stove and let it cool.
When it cools down, add the peanuts into a blender and blend them into a coarse powder and just keep it aside.
Open the lid from the bowl where you have soaked the sabudana and using your fingers just crumble them for a minute or two, in order to loosen the sabudana.
Now you get pearly white sabudana scrambles which are completely nonsticky.
Add half a teaspoon of sugar and mix well.
Keep it aside.
Place a pan in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
When it gets heated, add three tablespoons of groundnut oil in it.
After a while, add two teaspoons of cumin seeds to it and let them splutter.
After that, add the slit green chillies followed by a few curry leaves. Let them sizzle.
Now add the diced potatoes to it with a little salt.
Stir well and close the pan with a lid.
After a minute or two, just open the lid and stir the softened potato pieces.
At this stage, add the crumbled sabudana slowly into the pan.
Add it in portions, so that it gets mixed up well before adding the next.
When you finish adding, sprinkle the required salt and mix properly.
Let the flame continue to be in medium mode.
After two minutes, start adding the peanut powder little by little.
When the sabudana starts cooking, it will become sticky slowly.
When you add the peanut powder at that time, it will help in keeping the sabudana non sticky.
Keep adding the peanut powder on one hand, while stirring gently on the other hand.
When you finish adding the peanut powder, simmer the flame and let it cook for a few more minutes (2-3 minutes approximately).
The sabudana will now become totally transparent and spongy, absorbing the peanut powder totally.
The sabudana kichadi is almost ready at this juncture.
Finally, squeeze a lemon over it and give a final mix.
Garnish it with some coriander leaves and serve it hot with a cup of masala chai.
Some Tips To Follow On How To Make Sabudana Kichdi Recipe
• In case, if you are not able to prepare the dish on the day of soaking, you can store the soaked sabudana in the refrigerator and use the next day and it will not affect the texture of the kichadi in any way. In fact, it will be softer.
• When you open the bowl after soaking for eight hours, if the sabudana is dry and intact, your job is half done.
• If you want, you can add some grated coconut at the end and it is purely optional.
• You have to be mindful about the usage of oil. Because if you use less oil, sabudana will get sticky and if you use more oil, the kichadi will become oily.
• Therefore you have to use exact amount of oil that it requires.
• It is a suitable dish for the lunch box, as it tastes well even when it is not hot.
• You can store the remaining peanut powder (in case if it is excess) and reuse it anytime you want or you can add to sabzis for added flavour.
Ingredients
Directions
To Make sabudana kichdi, Take a cup of sabudana in a bowl and wash them twice or thrice till the starch gets washed away fully.
Pour water into the bowl until the sabudana gets completely immersed. Let the water level be exactly just above the sabudana balls.
Close the bowl with a lid and let it soak for eight to ten hours approximately.
Wash and clean the vegetables.
Slit the green chillies and peel off the potatoes.
Chop them into small cubes and put them in a bowl of water.
Similarly, finely chop the curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Place a pan in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
Add ¼ cup of peanuts into the pan and just dry roast them for a few minutes.
After a while when then peanuts get roasted, switch off the stove and let it cool.
When it cools down, add the peanuts into a blender and blend them into a coarse powder and just keep it aside.
Open the lid from the bowl where you have soaked the sabudana and using your fingers just crumble them for a minute or two, in order to loosen the sabudana.
Now you get pearly white sabudana scrambles which are completely nonsticky.
Add half a teaspoon of sugar and mix well.
Keep it aside.
Place a pan in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
When it gets heated, add three tablespoons of groundnut oil in it.
After a while, add two teaspoons of cumin seeds to it and let them splutter.
After that, add the slit green chillies followed by a few curry leaves. Let them sizzle.
Now add the diced potatoes to it with a little salt.
Stir well and close the pan with a lid.
After a minute or two, just open the lid and stir the softened potato pieces.
At this stage, add the crumbled sabudana slowly into the pan.
Add it in portions, so that it gets mixed up well before adding the next.
When you finish adding, sprinkle the required salt and mix properly.
Let the flame continue to be in medium mode.
After two minutes, start adding the peanut powder little by little.
When the sabudana starts cooking, it will become sticky slowly.
When you add the peanut powder at that time, it will help in keeping the sabudana non sticky.
Keep adding the peanut powder on one hand, while stirring gently on the other hand.
When you finish adding the peanut powder, simmer the flame and let it cook for a few more minutes (2-3 minutes approximately).
The sabudana will now become totally transparent and spongy, absorbing the peanut powder totally.
The sabudana kichadi is almost ready at this juncture.
Finally, squeeze a lemon over it and give a final mix.
Garnish it with some coriander leaves and serve it hot with a cup of masala chai.