Sabudana Khichdi - Tapioca & Potato Fry
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What is sabudana khichdi?
Sabudana Khichdi is a stir fry made with tapioca pearls (sabudana), potatoes, and peanuts.
I used to call this dish “sabudana poha” because it’s almost exactly like my North Indian Poha recipe, we’re just replacing the poha (flattened rice) with the sabudana, and we’re omitting most of the spices, onions, and peas! The essence of the red chilli, ghee, cumin seeds, and crispy potatoes remain in the two recipes. I only found out now that it’s actually referred to as “khichdi” hehe.
Sabudana Khichdi is a common dish prepared during the Navratri fasting season. If you don’t know, Navratri is a festival celebrated in the Hindu religion. Navratri translates to “nine nights”, and in this period lasting ten days, the 9 forms of the Mother Goddess are worshipped in India. Navratri is celebrated twice a year, and at the time of writing this, the next celebration will take place from October 9th to October 15th. The celebration varies slightly across India’s various regions, but the core celebration is for the “divine feminine.” For more information about the Navratri festival, refer to this article. While there are many festivals and celebrations that take place, this is also a time for fasting and to omit specific foods in one’s diet.
During this time, there are some quite strict rules to what you can and cannot eat. For instance, a huge no-no is any non-vegetarian food. Furthermore, you can’t have legumes such as lentils, peas and chickpeas, nor can you have certain vegetables such as onions or garlic. Additionally, you cannot have grains including rice, rice flour, all-purpose flour, semolina, chickpea flour, corn and corn flour. Oats, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are off limits. For a full list of foods permitted and to be avoided during Navratri, refer to this list.
Phew, so what’s left, you’re wondering? Well, potatoes are thankfully safe, and you’d better believe that they’re widely consumed during this time! Have you ever heard the saying that you could live off potatoes alone? I’m not totally sure how true that is, but don’t discount the benefits of a yellow potato! They’re satiating and carb-dense, giving you the energy you need for your day! Additionally, sabudana is on the permitted list. Sabudana or tapioca is excellent to consume during this time because they’re like potatoes in the sense that they act as fast-acting energy, kind of like a chewable Gatorade! Furthermore, sabudana acts as a fantastic substitute for rice or flour, so you can change your recipes to replace those grains with sabudana. Keep in mind that on its own sabudana is pretty bland and boring. However, you can find so many ways to spice it up and make it absolutely delicious!
Let me know if you’d like to see more sabudana recipes! In the meanwhile, I also have a Sabudana Aloo Tikki recipe if you’re looking for a snack. These are crispy tapioca and potato cutlets! They’re very crispy and so delicious!
To be honest, I’ve never actually had this when my mom was fasting. She did make the tikkis for us (even when it wasn’t fasting time, it’s just a good snack!), but otherwise she would just eat fruits and nuts when she fasted. I was curious to see what fasting foods are so I could share some recipes for those of you looking for delicious options and to not feeling hungry! This is also a healthy alternative to the tikkis since there’s no deep frying involved here.
However, you don’t need to be fasting to enjoy this Sabudana Khichdi! In fact, in some ways I almost find it better than the poha version! I just love the soft and spongy tapioca pearls in here! While it requires some advanced planning to take into account the soaking time for your sabudana, once that’s all taken care of this dish is so quick to make with minimal ingredients! I’d have it any time for a satisfying breakfast or lunch!
Feeling hungry? Then let’s get to the recipe!
How long to soak sabudana
Soak your sabudana for at least three hours or as long is it takes for the tapioca to be completely soft if you press it. Then drain the excess water and let it rest for another hour. If you don’t soak it for long enough, it will be hard and chewy when you cook it.
Tips for a fool proof Sabudana khichdi
Soak your sabudana until it is soft enough that when you pinch it, it smashes completely.
Roasting the peanuts while crispening the potatoes will save you some time.
Lower the heat once you add the sabudana to ensure they remain soft and fluffy.
ingredients for sabudana khichdi
Let’s go over what you’ll need to make a delicious Sabudana Khichdi! Don’t forget that the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD is available at the bottom of this post!
Sabudana: Also known as tapioca pearls. You can find it at your local South Asian or Indian grocery store, or purchase from Amazon here.
Ghee: We’ll use a little bit here to cook our ingredients.
Potatoes: I’m using Yukon gold yellow potatoes. If you don’t have these, you could also use white potatoes, but keep in mind the flavour will be slightly different. Potatoes are another popular Navratri fasting food option, and this will add some body to our stir fry. I’ve cut my potatoes into 1/3 inch-sized cubes.
Spices: We’re only going to use chopped ginger, cumin seeds, and dried red chillies. If you don’t have dried red chilies, then feel free to use slit green chilies.
Peanuts: I think peanuts are used in any sabudana khichdi recipe! I know my mom always used them in hers! These will be roasted with our potatoes.
Rock salt: When fasting, you cook with sendha namak - rock salt - instead of table salt. I recommend Himalayan pink salt, and you can get it from Amazon here. Season your dish to taste.
Lemon or lime juice: To taste, for some freshness and to finish the dish.
Freshly chopped cilantro: For garnish.
Questions You may have
Can we further season our khichdi?
Yes! If you’re not making this for a fast, then seasoning your Sabudana Khichd with hing, turmeric, and ground coriander would be excellent here!
Can I add onions and peas to the sabudana khichdi?
Again, if you’re not fasting, then those would be excellent vegetables to your Sabudana Khichdi! They will add great flavours, and the peas will add a nice crunch and sweetness to your khichdi.
Is sabudana Khichdi Gluten-Free?
Yes, it is! All the ingredients here do not contain any gluten.
How can I make Sabudana Khichdi Vegan?
The only dairy ingredient used in this Sabudana Khichdi recipe is the ghee used to cook our dish. To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute the ghee with your favourite plant-based cooking oil. I recommend using olive oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil.
How to Make sabudana khichdi
Rinse sabudana with cold running water and add enough water in a bowl to cover. Let rest for at least 3 hours, or up to a max of 5-6 hours.
Drain the sabudana completely using a sieve and leave the tapioca in the sieve, over a large bowl to allow it to drain completely about 1-2 hours.
Heat non-stick pan on medium heat and add ghee. Once ghee is hot, add cumins seeds and chillies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and mix well. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until potatoes turn golden brown. Cover, lower heat and cook until potatoes are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir from time to time.
Add peanuts and increase heat to medium to make potatoes crispy and roast the peanuts - about 3-4 minutes. Add sabudana and toss well. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and season to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!
Watch How to Make sabudana khichdi Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!