Sabudana Khichidi (Sago/Javarisi/Tapioca Upma)

This last Friday was Ashada Ekadasi (one of the few Ekadasi that is very auspicious) and almost all of my colleagues and friends were observing fasting. Living with my mom, in-laws and my dad (ISKCON priest), who follow Ekadasi quite well, knew that I am allowed to eat only once in the day and end the fast with a sumptuous meal on Dwadashi (the next day). I could not eat any grains, but could eat anything from the roots, stems, fruits and vegetables. Here in Pune, many eat Sabudana (Javarisi) Khichidi (Upma) as it is from Tapioca root. My kids love this dish as well as they get it routinely in their day care. Just like any Upma, there is an art in making this.. and so here is my side of  the story on how to make this Upma.. or Khichidi..

Sabudana Khichidi

Ingredients
Soaked Sabudana - 3 cups

Peanuts - 1.5 cups
Curry leaves - 2-3
Cumin - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 4-5
Salt to taste
Refined oil or re fried butter (ghee) - 4-5 tbsp

Directions
Soak the sabudana overnight in a strainer. It is important to not soak it completely in water as the starch is lost. You have to rinse it well in water and drain all the water and let it soak in the residual water overnight or over a strainer.

Dry roast the peanuts until well roasted. In a blender add the roasted peanuts, chilli and salt and grind into a coarse powder. 

Take oil in pan and heat it. Add cumin seeds and when it sputters, add the curry leaves and the peanut mix and let it roast in low heat until golden brown for 2-3 min. Add the soaked sabudana into this mix and mix it well so every grain of sabudana is covered with peanut mix. This helps to make it less sticky. Otherwise, the entire thing will stick to each other into one big mass.

Let it roast and cook on low heat for 5-10 min until the whiteness of the sabudana is gone and you see glass transparency (that means the sabudana is cooked).

The khichidi is ready. Mine is a little more dark as I used re fried butter with its black sediment as I ran out of oil. Otherwise, once can make it light brown/white. One can also add red chilli powder instead of green chillies. The peanuts give the dish the signature taste of the Khichidi that you won't get from a regular south indian upma style of cooking.

As it is liked by everyone at home, there were no left overs and everyone enjoyed eating Upwas kha khanna (fasting food).

BTW, I observed complete fast on Ekadashi and only ate boiled potatoes, and sweet potatoes in the night for dinner after Abhishekham of our Laddoo Gopal (Lord Krishna). I ended the fast the next day with Puran Pholi (a dessert) as offering to Lord Krishna.. I will share this recipe in next blog.

 

 

Masoor Khichidi (Mixed lentil rice)

Khichidi is a very common name for anything that is a mixture of things. I was told I speak a khichidi language as I mix Tamil, Hindi, and English (Tamhinglish) when I speak at home..

Pune is famous for its Dal Khichidi which is actually made with Green gram (moong) and Rice with spices. Any authentic Maharashtrian eatery would carry this in its menu. My colleague Jayant, at work makes excellent Dal khichidi that gets consumed in one sitting. He usually is requested to make a lot of it, so no one goes without a share..

Today's recipe is a variation of the classic Dal Khichidi, in that it is made with Aakkha Masoor (whole lentil) and has Nutrela chunks (processed soy chunks) that adds protein into the diet.


Masoor Khichidi
Courtesy: Lakshmi (my maid servant)

Rice - 3 cups
Whole Masoor (can use any whole lentil) - 1 cup
 Curry leaves - 10
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Onion - 2 small finely chopped
Nutrela chuncks (soyawadi) - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 2-3
Green chilli - 2-3
Coriander leaves (cilantro) - 1 small bunch
4-6 tbsp - oil (refined)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp

Soak the Masoor for 2-3 hours and then cook it with some salt in the pressure pan. Cook rice separately in the same pressure pan. Take oil and saute the Nutrela chunks until they are brown, keep them aside. In same oil, add Mustard seeds, and after they pop, add asafoetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves and green chilli. Now add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and cook for 5 mins. Add the cooked Masoor dal with very little water and let it all mix well- keep it on heat for 2-3 min. In the end, add the Nutrela chunks and Rice and mix them all together into a Khichidi. Garnish on top with fresh cilantro and serve hot with papad (fritter).

I have always boiled the Nutrela chunks and added it into a dish after squeezing the water out. It provides the typical chewy texture to the chunk (as a meat substitute). In this method, when we fry the Nutrela chunks first, it brings a unique crispiness and as it absorbs the flavor/juice from the dish, it is more tastier and the crispiness is loved by kids.