Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana Khichdi is a traditional Indian breakfast recipe that is made using sago or tapioca pearls. You can make this vegan and gluten-free dish for breakfast or any time of the day and enjoy it. Follow my tips to make it non-sticky. 

Jump to:

• What is Sabudana?
• How to make it Non-Sticky?
• Process
• How to soak Sabudana Instantly?
• Serving Suggestions
• How to make it without Onion and Tomato (Step by Step)
• How to make it with Onion and Tomato (Step by Step)
• Recipe Card

Khichdi is a very famous Indian dish made by cooking lentils with rice. But nowadays, there are so many different varieties of khichdi available.

Today I’m going to present to you a khichdi made using sago or tapioca pearls, popularly known as sabudana in India.

What is Sabudana?

Sabudana is a very popular ingredient that is used in many dishes, especially during the fasting (Vrat) season when grains are not prepared.

It is called Sago or Tapioca Pearls in English.

Made using Cassava roots, a form of tapioca, sabudana is basically the starch extracted from the roots of tapioca.

You can read more about sabudana here.

It is a good source of carbohydrates and is used in recipes like Aloo Sabudana, Sabudana Thalipeeth, and a delicious Sabudana Vada.

It is also an ingredient in Bubble Tea and fruit slash.

The reason this kichdi has become a quintessential dish during this season is due to its high starch content.

Navaratas will not be complete without this khichdi.

This recipe uses very few spices as it’s mostly made for vrat or fasting and is perked up with fresh coriander, roasted peanuts, and lemon juice.

You can use sendha namak or rock salt if you are making it for vrat.

Traditionally peanuts are added to it, but you can add cashew nuts or almonds as well.

Sabudana Khichdi is

• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Simple to make 
• Very Flavourful
• Use very few ingredients

How to make it Non-Sticky?

It’s very important that you get the consistency of this dish right; you must ensure that the sago doesn’t become sticky.

Make sure to wash the sabudana 3-4 times until the water becomes clear and is not milky.

This will make sure all the pearls are separate from each other after cooking.

Soak the sabudana in only ½ cup water and leave it aside for 5-6 hours.

You can soak it at night before sleeping and use it in the morning.

To make sure sabudana has been soaked properly, take a pearl between your fingers and smash it. If it gets smashed easily, it’s soaked well.

Do not overcook the sabudana. Just cook until it becomes translucent.

Process

To make this Spicy Sabudana Khichdi first the sabudana or tapioca pearls are to be washed a few times in order to prevent them from sticking to each other.

The sago is then soaked in water for about 5-6 hours; just check it once in a while to see that it’s not sticking to each other.

Then the oil or ghee is heated in a pan, to this cumin seeds are added and allowed to crackle, followed by the addition of potatoes.

It’s covered and the potatoes are allowed to cook in low heat.

Next, tomatoes and chopped green chillies are added and cooked for a few minutes.

Finally, crushed peanuts, turmeric powder, soaked sabudana, coriander, and salt are put in.

The sabudana is cooked till translucent; it’s important to ensure that it’s not overcooked.

A spritz of freshly squeezed lemon juice is added to the khichdi and it is garnished with some chopped coriander.

If making it for vrat, heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add green chillies and potatoes and fry until potatoes are cooked.

Add the soaked sabudana, peanut, salt, and coriander and cook until sabudana turns transparent.

Squeeze lemon juice and serve hot.

Sabudana khichdi is light on the stomach but keeps you going for some time due to its high energy content.

This recipe needs some planning as you’ll have to soak the sabudana for a few hours, but that’s about it, once soaked, this spicy khichdi is really simple to make.

Pro Tip – Instead of soaking the sabudana in water, try soaking it in thin buttermilk. It will elevate the taste a lot.

How to soak Sabudana Instantly?

I sometimes forget to soak the sabudana and then making this khichdi becomes a distant dream.

But I figured out a way using which, my sabudana gets soaked in just 1 hour.

Wash the sabudana well and add it in a hot case.

Not soak it in boiling hot water instead of regular water and close the lid of the hot case tightly.

After one hour, your sabudana with be perfectly puffed.

Serving Suggestions

Sabudana khichdi is a full meal in itself and can be served on its own.

You can pair it with fresh curd or kadhi.

It also goes well with coconut chutney or tomato chutney or any raita.

You might also like

Peanut Chutney

Curd Rice

Punjabi Dahi Aloo

Rava Pongal

Rava Upma

How to make it without Onion and Tomato (Step by Step)

Wash the sabudana 3-4 times. 

Soak it in ¾ cup water for 5-6 hours.

Heat ghee in a pan.

When the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds.

When the seeds starts crackling, add potato and green chillies.

Cover and cook on low heat till potatoes are done.

Add peanuts, soaked sabudana, coriander and salt.

Cover and cook on low heat till sabudana turns translucent. Add lemon juice.

How to make it with Onion and Tomato (Step by Step)

Wash the sabudana 3-4 times. ( This will keep it from sticking and the pearls will be separate after cooking ) Soak it in ¾ cup water for 5-6 hours.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds.

When the seeds starts crackling, add potato.

Cover and cook on low heat till potatoes are done.

Add onion and fry until they turn translucent.

Add tomato and green chilli and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Now add peanuts, turmeric powder, coriander and salt.

Add soaked sabudana. Cook till sabudana turns translucent.

Now add lemon juice. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Recipe Card