Recipe
Sabudana Khichdi (Usal)
The Story
Sabudana, the pearls this dish is built on, aren’t actually a grain at all, they’re processed tapioca starch, extracted from the cassava root. Cassava itself isn’t native to India; it arrived via Portuguese traders and was established as a crop in parts of South India by the colonial era, with Tamil Nadu, particularly the Salem region, becoming the country’s main sabudana-processing hub. Because it’s technically not a grain, sabudana fits the dietary rules of Hindu fasting days (vrat or upvas), and khichdi made from it became one of the most common fasting-day dishes across Maharashtra and much of India, especially during Navratri and Ekadashi.
- Sabudana (sago pearls) 1 cup (180-200 g)
- Water for soaking 3/4 cup
- Raw peanuts, roasted and crushed 1/2 cup
- Potato, boiled and cubed 1 medium
- Ghee 3 tbsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
- Green chilies, chopped 2-3
- Curry leaves 8-10
- Sugar 1-2 tsp
- Lemon juice 1-2 tsp
- Rock salt (sendha namak) to taste
- Coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsp
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1
Rinse the sabudana two to three times under running water until it runs clear.
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2
Add 3/4 cup water, cover, and soak at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if needed.
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3
Press-test a few pearls, they should mash completely with no hard center, then drain thoroughly.
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4
Fold the roasted, crushed peanuts into the drained sabudana along with the salt and sugar.
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5
Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat, add cumin seeds, and let them crackle.
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6
Add green chilies and curry leaves, then the cubed boiled potato, and saute 1 to 2 minutes.
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7
Lower the heat, add the peanut-coated sabudana, and toss gently to coat.
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8
Cook 3 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the pearls turn glossy and translucent.
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9
Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and coriander, and serve hot.
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