Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana khichdi is a popular Indian fasting recipe.

A delicious preparation made with sago pearls (sabudana), potatoes and a few spices, this Vegan and gluten-free recipe is a favorite for many.

Struggling with perfect Sabudana Khichdi that is non-sticky and delicious? Then you need this recipe to make a delicious meal for sure!

This dish makes an appearance on fasting days like Mahashivratri, Ekadashi, Ram Navami etc. But truly, it can be made any day even without a fast.

It is a super versatile recipe, a great candidate for breakfast, lunch or dinner. People have their own versions of making it and it always tastes amazing!

My fondest memories of this khichdi is from my childhood when it was prepared for my grandparents. They would fast twice a month and this was a regular dish each time. While it was for them, we would happily swap our dinner for this.

What is Sabudana Khichdi

It is almost like a pilaf, sabudana pearls, potatoes, peanuts and spices all mixed into a delicious mix.

The peanuts and potatoes give the khichdi a signature taste and bring the pearls together in the most delicious way.

While the recipe is pretty straight-forward; I know a lot of folks wanted a non-sticky and perfect version of it. I am including EVERYTHING my mom taught me about working with sabudana here.

Though it is a khichdi; it is different from the regular khichdi in many ways. This one has each pearl separate and not all mushed like khichdi.

Plus, it is not light and low-carb like other comfort foods. It is high-carb as tapioca is the key ingredient along with potatoes. Both contain carbs.

Last, it is not an INSTANT recipe like khichdi. It needs planning as the tapioca needs to soak well to cook properly. And this step is key to get the non-sticky khichdi we are looking for.

This Sabudana Khichdi Recipe

This khichdi made with sabudana is super easy to make and is a delicious breakfast or dinner recipe.

This is my favorite way to keep it non-sticky. The sabudana pearls do not clump together following a few tips.

Sabudana khichdi is often considered a fasting recipe, made during Indian fasts and festivals. Navratri, Janmashtami, Ekadashi, Mahashivratri are a few occasions that it is made on.

However, we enjoy it on non-fasting days too. It is an easy fix breakfast once you have the tapioca soaked.

It does taste amazing when enjoyed immediately but will be great as a part of meal prep too. Cook it as the recipe describes and cool it completely. Refrigerate till ready to consume. Pop it in the microwave with a splash of water and heat for 1-2 minutes before serving!

Tips to make Non-Sticky Sabudana Khichdi

As I mentioned above, we all would love a non-sticky version of Sabudana Khichdi that is not mushy.

While it sounds complex, following some basic steps can easily result in perfect khichdi EACH time.

1- Soak the sabudana pearls overnight. First wash the pearls in cold water. Then add water to cover the pearls completely.

2- The ideal ratio to get perfect sabudana is 1:1 for sabudana:water. Within the first hour the water on top will be absorbed. Leaving it overnight will give you perfectly soaked pearls. There will be no leftover water in the bowl.

Check the soaked pearls by pressing between your fingers. It should mush easily.

3- Mix the peanut powder and spices in the sabudana. This step is optional but I like to make my khichdi this way.

The peanut powder coats the sabudana pearls and they will not stick on cooking. Mixing salt and spices into the pearls helps distribute it evenly throughout the khichdi.

4- Use enough ghee/ oil in the recipe. These are instrumental in keeping the pearls separate.

5- Do NOT overcook the sabudana khichdi as this will result in a mess that has all the ingredients mixed up.

The potatoes we use are cooked, peanut is roasted and tempering is cooked too. The only thing we need to cook while making the khichdi is sabudana.

Video Recipe

More Fasting Recipes

Looking for more recipes that are perfect for fasting? Here are some from my blog:

• Sabudana Vada
• Farali Rajgira Kadhi
• Samo (Barnya Millet) Vada
• Sabudana Kheer
• Samo Khichdi
• Farali Pattice (Buff Vada)
• Non-Fried Sabudana Vada

Ingredients

Sabudana: Sabudana is the starting ingredient in this recipe. Medium size sabudana work best for the recipe.

Get the tapioca pearls or sago from any Indian store or from Amazon.

Potatoes: Potatoes with sabudana are the perfect combination. We can use raw potatoes or boiled ones here.

Potatoes are perfect for fasting days. However, for non-fasting days other vegetables like carrots, peas etc can be added too.

Peanuts: I like to add some roasted peanut powder in the khichdi. Together with the potatoes and sabudana these give it a crunchy taste and amazing texture.

Chili, Ginger and Curry leaves: The flavoring ingredients in the recipe are green chili, ginger and curry leaves.

Red chili, turmeric, garlic etc are generally not consumed on fasting days. Add these on non-fasting days. However, the spices mentioned above are perfrect for a flavorful khichdi.

Spices: The only whole spice I use here is Jeera (cumin seeds).

Apart from that we add some roasted cumin powder, salt, sugar and black pepper powder. And a dash of lime juice to balance it all.

Ghee: Most fasting day recipes are made in ghee. Using ghee works well here. However, one can use a combination of ghee or oil or just oil too.

Oil is great for making the recipe Vegan.

Step by Step Instructions to make Sabudana Khichdi

1- Wash and soak the sabudana in water.

2- Cover and rest overnight or at least 4-6 hours.

3- In a bowl mix together soaked sabudana, roasted peanut powder.

4- Add in salt, sugar and black pepper powder. Give everything a good stir.

5- Boil the potatoes and cut into cubes. Set aside. In a pan heat ghee. Once hot, add cumin seeds.

6- Once the seeds sizzle, add green chili and grated ginger.

7- Add the potatoes and curry leaves. Mix and let the potatoes cook for 2-3 minutes.

8- Add the sabudana peanut mixture and mix well.

9- Cook for 8-10 minutes till the sabudana softens and the salt and sugar blend in.

10- Add lemon juice and turn down the flame.

Serve topped with cilantro. This khichdi tastes best with Rajgira Kadhi or a side of yogurt and cilantro chutney. Enjoy it with some Masala Chai too.

Tips and Notes

• The khichdi can be made in advance and reheated in the microwave by adding a splash of water. It does stay well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
• Adding red chili, turmeric, other vegetables and garlic is an option if you are not making it for a fast.
• Substitute salt with Sendha Namak if desired.
• Serve it with Rajgira Kadhi for a complete meal.

This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in 2014.