• Author, from England, tells how to make sabudana khichdi and its benefits.

Indian cuisine is full of strong flavors, rich dishes, and a wide variety of ingredients combined in amazing ways. Indian cuisine is different from the western ones. Nevertheless more and more Indian restaurants are being set up all over the world.

Sabudana Khichdi is one of those dishes that is a must eat in Western India. Even though it is mostly cooked in regions such as Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, it has begun to get popular in other regions too. In Tamil Nadu, people make upma and payasam (kheer) with sabudana. The sabudana upma is slightly different from the typical sabudana khichdi made in Mumbai/North. Sabudana Vada is popular in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. 

It is delicious, tasty, and looks good. Besides, it has so many health benefits and, most important of all, is comforting.

How Do You Cook Sabudana Khichdi? 

Like most Indian dishes, Sabudana Khichdi is also vegan, so no dairy or meat is involved. It is a rather new concept, but it is similar to pilaf or pulao, but made with tapioca. Simple to cook, it is easy to savor it and its texture gives you the comfort you need during the not so good days.

Because Sabudana Khichdi is mostly cooked during the fasting season in India, some ingredients and spices are prohibited. Actually, one does need so many ingredients.

You need to soak the Sabudana overnight, drain it, and then cook it in your pan on low heat and not for long.

If you are cooking it during the fasting season in India, you can replace spices with salt.

But if you choose it to comfort you outside the fasting season, you can add turmeric, ginger, cumin, curry, and anything else you want. It best goes with potatoes and chilies, as the tapioca pearls have a specific pleasant texture that is completed by these ingredients.

Sabudana Khichdi is a healthy dish. However, it is not supposed to be eaten regularly by people who have diabetes or related health issues. Carbohydrates such as potatoes or rice are not recommended to diabetic people, so it is better to avoid or consume it occasionally.

Benefits of eating Sabudana Khichdi.  

Helps You Gain Weight 

Sabudana Khichdi is a dish full of the nutrients you need if you want to gain weight. Besides, it is very tasty and delicious, and with yogurt, it turns out to be a delightful meal. It helps you gain the right amount of weight you need.

Is Non- Allergic

We all know that some spices or ingredients seem to upset some people, especially during this new era of gluten-free dishes. If you are among those people who are a little more sensitive to some nutrients and ingredients, you should know that Sabudana Khichdi is gluten-free and it causes no allergies.

Isn’t this comforting? Knowing that there is a dish you can eat whenever you want, without bothering about finding the ingredients list. You can add whatever you want and season it however you want to satisfy your tastes, and the result is always so tasty and delicious. It is mouth-watering! 

It Gives You Energy

This dish is mostly cooked during the fasting period of Navratri when people purify and detoxify their bodies during the nine days. You are not allowed to eat garlic, onion, mushrooms, shallot, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, leek, and a few more.

So, this fasting period is marked by some restrictions regarding the ingredients you are allowed to use.

Meaning that you need to find something else that supplies you with enough energy to get through the day.

Sabudana Khichdi is that dish you can eat anytime and that loads you with energy. You can personalize it however you want, but you will create an amazing, comfortable, and nutritious dish every single time.

Makes You Stronger

It may seem odd, taking into consideration that it is a simple and easy to cook dish, but Sabudana Khichdi makes you stronger.

It is rich in vitamins which contribute to strengthening your bones, thus giving you more power, stability, and making your body healthier.

Sabudana is rich in magnesium, calcium, and iron, which are some minerals that help you protect your bones and have positive effects on your muscles too. It is rich in proteins and helps with muscle growth, so if you are on your way of building your body, this is the dish you need. Natural, simple, tasty, and beneficial.

A diet rich in minerals prevents the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis, two of the diseases that affect the most the elders. And Sabudana Khichdi supplies your body with the nutrients it needs.

Conclusion

Even though it is mostly cooked just in some parts of India, Sabudana Khichdi gains momentum all over the country and the world.

People who are looking for tasty and delicious foods, yet vegan and full of nutrients and minerals, need to cook this dish. It is gluten-free, allergic-free, and it comes with the right amount of proteins and vitamins your body needs.

It just loads you with the energy you need during the fasting period of Navratri, so it comes with that comfort you need. The texture of tapioca pearls seasoned with spices and with the crunchiness of peanuts is the combination of tastes you need to feel more at peace and comfortable. Sabudana Khichdi is and will be your new comfort food for a long time.

Author Justin is a teacher from Leicester, England, UK. When not teaching his little students and rooting for Leicester FC, he loves to share his thoughts and opinions about education, writing and blogging with other people on different blogs and forums. Currently, he is working as an editor at the paper writing service.

Interesting to see how a English person looks at sabudana khichdi. Kept edits to the minimum so his views are known as is - Editor.