Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana more commonly known as sago in the Asian countries, is a processed plant starch extracted from the cassava root. This starch is shaped to pearl like balls. Sabudana is high in carbohydrates, so it has the ability to boost energy quickly.

Due to its quick energy boosting quality, it was classified as one of the best fasting foods by the traditional Hindu community.

So a lot of Hindus use sabudana during various festivals and fastings to make numerous dishes like this khichdi

About Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana khichdi is a popular Hindu fasting food where soaked tapioca pearls are tempered with curry leaves, whole spices, potatoes and roasted peanuts. It is a popular dish from the North Indian and western Indian states.

Sabudana khichdi is most commonly eaten during Navratri, Ekadashi and other Hindu fasting days. But you can also eat it anytime for a breakfast or light dinner.

Due to the high starch content in sabudana, proper preparation and cooking techniques are required. Without that the starches can clump up together to gluey, sticky and chewy texture.

My recipe will help you make the best sabudana khichdi that’s non-sticky, fluffy and soft with no chewiness in the pearls.

If you are new to cooking with sabudana I highly recommend reading and following my pro tips to make your dish a success.

Expert Tips

Rinsing sabudana well a few times is the first important step. This helps to get rid of the excess powdery starch from the surface of the pearls. If not rinsed well, the pearls will stick up to each other and clump up. I rinse them thrice in lots of water rubbing them well.

Soaking sabudana using fresh cold water just as needed is the next important step. There are 2 ways you can soak them for a perfect texture. First one is to use ¾ cup of water for every cup of sabudana. Second method is to soak them in water just enough to immerse them. More details below.

Soaking them in lot of water will oversoak them and eventually end up being gluey when they come in contact with heat.

Draining sabudana is optional but is recommended just to ensure there is no excess moisture. I usually skip this step as I find no excess moisture in the sabudana after soaking them well with ¾ cup water.

Cooking the pearls for longer makes them sticky and will form lumps. Sabudana needs to be cooked only for 2 to 3 mins. Within this time they turn transparent meaning they are cooked.