Veggie Sabudana Khichdi

Good Morning Foodies! Nice pleasant weather in my part of the world. After noodles, curry and cutlets, how about a gluten free Sabudana (Sago) recipe. Traditionally for Indian Vrat or Upavas, Sabudana Khichdi/Pilaf is made with potatoes and crushed peanuts. Today's Colorful Sago Khichdi is a No Onion Garlic recipe, but with lots of different vegetables. Do try this and let me know.

Ingredients:

Sabudana/Sago - 1 cup

Crushed/Powdered Roasted Peanuts - about 1 cup

Sliced Red Bell Peppers - about 1/2 cup

Sliced Yellow Bell Peppers - about 1/2 cup

Sliced Carrots - about 1/2 cup

Sliced Potato - about 1/2 cup 

Sliced Sweet Potato - about 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves/Kadipata - 5

Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - 5 sprigs

Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp

Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

Cayenne Pepper/Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Oil or Ghee or Butter - 1 1/2 tbsp

How to cook Sabudana Khichdi with Vegetables:

• Wash sago twice and drain the water. Add water just enough to form a thin layer on sago. Keep it covered for 6 hours or overnight. I usually soak sago overnight.
• Sago must turn double in size and soft to touch. If not, sprinkle some more water.
• Blend roasted peanuts in a food processor or mixer to a coarse powder. Blend it longer if you want fine powder.
• Wash curry leaves and pat them dry. Finely chop cilantro.

• Thinly slice colorful veggies of your choice. I used yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper and carrots. If I have beets, I add beets too. Peel potato and sweet potato and thinly slice both.
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds and after few seconds, add curry leaves and potato. Saute for a minute and add sweet potato, carrots. Saute until potatoes soften.
• At any point, if you feel like potatoes are sticking to the pan, add another 1/2 tbsp oil or add some cooking spray.
• Traditionally, Khichdi for Vrat is cooked in ghee/clarified butter. You can use just ghee or oil or a combination of both.
• Add bell peppers, little salt, black pepper powder, cayenne and saute for another minute. Check with a fork if all the veggies are cooked the way you like.
• Turn off the heat and keep all the veggies covered for about 5 minutes.
• Lastly, add soaked sago, chopped cilantro, powdered peanuts and little more salt. Stir at low heat until all ingredients are heated and well combined. Taste for seasonings. Add 1/2 tsp sugar if you like. I did not add sugar.

Enjoy Gluten Free Sabudana Khichdi for brunch or as a snack.