Sabudana Khichdiसाबुदाणा खिचडी

Name: Sabudana Khichdi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Maharashtrian
Ingredients: 1 cup sabudana (tapioca pearls, medium-sized) — साबुदाणा; ½ cup raw peanuts, dry roasted and coarsely crushed — शेंगदाणे; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes — बटाटे; 2 tbsp ghee or refined oil — तूप; 1 tsp cumin seeds — जिरे; 2–3 green chilies, finely chopped — हिरवी मिरची; 8–10 leaves fresh curry leaves — कढीपत्ता; to taste rock salt (sendha namak) for fasting — शेंदव मीठ; 1 tsp sugar — साखर; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves — कोथिंबीर

⏱ Prep 10m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 3🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)

Sabudana Khichdi is Maharashtra's beloved fasting food — pearly white tapioca tossed with crushed peanuts, green chilies, cumin, and soft potato, every pearl staying separate and slightly chewy. The secret is all in the soak: just enough water to let the pearls plump without going sticky. Eaten during Navratri, Ekadashi, and Mahashivaratri fasts across Maharashtra and much of North India, it is comfort food that happens to also be entirely grain-free.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

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Ingredients

▪sabudana (tapioca pearls, medium-sized) — साबुदाणा1 cup
▪raw peanuts, dry roasted and coarsely crushed — शेंगदाणे½ cup
▪potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes — बटाटे2 medium
▪ghee or refined oil — तूप2 tbsp
▪cumin seeds — जिरे1 tsp
▪green chilies, finely chopped — हिरवी मिरची2–3
▪fresh curry leaves — कढीपत्ता8–10 leaves
▪rock salt (sendha namak) for fasting — शेंदव मीठto taste
▪sugar — साखर1 tsp
▪lemon juice1 tbsp
▪fresh coriander leaves — कोथिंबीर2 tbsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Sabudana is sold as "tapioca pearls" at most South Asian and Asian grocery stores. In the diaspora, look for medium-sized pearls (not the tiny boba or large Thai variety) — the texture is quite different. Bob's Red Mill tapioca pearls work in a pinch, though the soak time may vary slightly.
During fasting, only rock salt (sendha namak / Himalayan pink salt) is traditionally used. Outside of religious fasting, regular table salt works fine.
Dry roasting raw peanuts at home (5–6 minutes in a dry pan, stirring constantly until skins crackle) gives far better flavour than pre-roasted. Rub off the skins in a clean kitchen towel for a cleaner khichdi.

Method

1Rinse sabudana 2–3 times until water runs clear. Soak in just enough water to barely cover (about ¾ cup for 1 cup pearls) for 4–6 hours or overnight. The pearls are ready when you can press one and it flattens completely without resistance and without water oozing out.
2Spread the soaked sabudana on a plate and mix in the coarsely crushed peanuts, rock salt, and sugar. Toss gently so each pearl is coated.
3Heat ghee in a wide, heavy non-stick pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sputter for 30 seconds.
4Add green chilies and curry leaves — stand back as they splutter. Add diced potatoes and fry, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
5Reduce heat to low. Add the sabudana-peanut mixture in an even layer. Do not stir for 1 minute, then turn gently with a spatula — folding, not stirring, to keep the pearls intact.
6Cook on low, turning gently every minute, for 5–7 minutes until the sabudana turns translucent and a few spots go lightly golden. Taste for salt.
7Squeeze over lemon juice, garnish with fresh coriander, and serve immediately while warm.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.