Sabudana khichdi is a savory dish made with tapioca pearls, peanuts, potatoes, cumin, chilis, and curry leaves. It takes little time to make, but it’s pure comfort and the ingredients pair magically.
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In the early days of the pandemic, I realized I didn’t know how to make any of my favorite Indian dishes. I’ve watched my my mom bang pots and pans together for many years, determined to put a leftover-less meal on the table just to satisfy like two people, so I assumed that cooking Indian food was difficult. It wasn’t until 2020 that I asked her to teach me and honestly, I found it pretty approachable, even for someone with little experience beyond pasta and salad. I think that just shows how we’ve been conditioned to believe that non-western cuisines are more complicated, but every single cuisine has its simplicities and complexities. Quarantine was usually uneventful, but the afternoons I spent in the kitchen soaking in the aromas of my childhood meant a lot to me.
Sabudana khichdi takes little time, but the chewy tapioca pearls, the chilis, the peanuts, the lemon juice – it’s magical. And if that didn’t convince you, well, queen Samin Nosrat has also expressed her adoration for it.
What is Sabudana?
Sabudana is otherwise known as tapioca pearls of sago pearls. It’s derived from the tapioca root, which is part of the cassava plant. It arrived in India from China in the 1940s and has been used in a variety of ways ever since. It is especially popular in Maharashtra and Kerala! I really enjoyed this article to learn about its history.
It is typically eaten during fasts or for breakfast, but my mom makes it for lunch and I have always been delighted by it. It’s a humble dish, but not without elements of contrast (chewy tapioca pearls and crunchy peanuts, yum!).
How to Make Sabudana Khichdi
Soak tapioca pearls.
Soaking for 4 hours should do the trick! You can also soak overnight.
Toast and crush peanuts.
If I had to pick an irreplaceable ingredient of this dish besides the tapioca pearls, it would be peanuts. You can microwave them or toast them in a pan, and just process until coarse or use a mortar and pestle.
Cook fast!
Make sure you have all the ingredients ready to go before even adding anything to the pan, because this process is quick! You start with cumin seeds and hing (asafetida). Then follow up with green chilis and curry leaves. Finish with the tapioca pearls and peanuts. Cook for about 5 minutes and mix in lemon juice and cilantro.
Sabudana Khichdi
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups tapioca pearls soaked for at least 4 hours
- ½ cup peanuts
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- pinch of hing (asafetida)
- 4 green chilis, chopped
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 white potatoes, boiled and cubed
- salt
- ½ tbsp lemon juice from about ~ ½ lemon
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse tapioca pearls well 2 to 3 times. Then soak with just enough water to cover for 4 hours or more. Make sure not to soak with too much water. Drain and set aside.
- Toast peanuts in a pan on medium-heat or microwave for a minute or two until toasty and crunchy. Allow the peanuts to cool down slightly and then process or crush until coarsely ground.
- Heat avocado oil or another neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds. Let it sputter and quickly add hing. Let it bloom for 30 seconds or so.
- Add the green chilis and curry leaves. Allow them to sputter for a few minutes. Add potatoes and stir until slightly crisp and golden brown.
- Stir the crushed peanuts and ~ ¾-1 tsp salt into the tapioca pearls. Add to the pan, along with a few small splashes of water. Stir for a few minutes, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- When the tapioca pearls are slightly golden and chewy, stir in lemon juice from half a lemon along with cilantro. Serve warm!
For more simple comfort foods, check out…
Okay! Gotcha. 👌🏽
Honestly you can just omit! It will still taste good without them 🙂
Is there anything I can use to make up for the curry leave? That is what gives the good flavor but I can’t find them anywhere near me.