Sabudana Khichdi (Spiced Pearl Sago)

Sabudana Khichdi (Spiced Pearl Sago)
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Sago is made from tapioca starch and is sold as tiny “pearls”. You can buy them in two sizes, small and large: the small ones are used in desserts and some savory dishes that make the most of their starchy texture. I use large sago pearls for this recipe as they fluff up into separate grains whereas the small ones tend to disintegrate into a paste when soaked. Recipe excerpted from The Indian Cooking Course by Monisha Bharadwaj. Click here to purchase your own copy.
Servings
4
servings
Gareth Morgans
Ingredients
  • 1 cup pearl sago
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly crushed
  • pinch of sugar
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 fresh green chiles, slit lengthwise
  • 10 fresh or 15 dried curry leaves
  • 1 potato, peeled and cut into small dice
  • 2 tablespoon fresh grated or dried coconut (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and drained, if using dried)
  • a small handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, to garnish
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt
Directions
  1. Wash the sago well then soak it in enough water to cover it by 1-inch. Leave for 1 hour, then drain through a sieve, spread out on a clean, dry kitchen towel, and leave on the kitchen counter to soften.
  2. After 3 hours, the water should be completely absorbed. The draining time can vary depending on the quality of the sago; a sago pearl should squash easily between the thumb and index finger when it is ready to be cooked.
  3. Mix the crushed peanuts, salt to season, and sugar into the sago. Set aside.
  4. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat and add the cumin seeds. Cook until they darken, then add the chiles and curry leaves (standing back from the pan if using fresh leaves, as they will splutter). Add the potato, season with salt, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Reduce the heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  5. Add the sago. Cook over a very low heat, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes until the sago is soft all the way through. Sprinkle with the coconut, cilantro leaves, and lemon juice and serve hot.
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