Sabudana Kheer || Sago Kheer

Sabudana Kheer is a rich, creamy, and delectable Indian dessert made with tapioca pearls, milk, sugar or jaggery, and cardamoms. Kheer is an Indian pudding, and tapioca pearls are called Sabudana in Hindi. In Indian cookery, sabudana, sometimes called sago, is frequently used to make a variety of foods, including khichdi, vada, papads, porridge, and sabudana kheer. The tapioca root, often called cassava, is used to make these pearl-like white balls. In several Asian countries, they are more commonly referred to as sago.

They are referred to as Javvarisi in Tamil, Sagubiyyam in Telugu, Sabakki in Kannada, and Sabudana in Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi.

Sabudana is a pure starch and a processed food. With the exception of their high carbohydrate content, they are not nutrient-rich. They are extremely deficient in vitamins, minerals, and protein. As a result, they are cooked along with wholesome ingredients.

Due to its quick energy boost, sabudana is a popular fasting snack in India. One such food that is typically prepared during religious fastings is sabudana kheer. 

Sabudana Kheer is also a fantastic summertime dish that can be eaten for breakfast or as a cool dessert on hot days. It is said to balance the body temperature and lessen body heat. Babies and toddlers are also given it to increase their energy levels. 

Simply boiling soaked sago in water until the balls become transparent and thoroughly cooked is how Sabudana Kheer is created. After that, they are cooked in full-fat milk until they become creamy and thick. Finally, cardamom powder is added to the kheer after it has been sweetened with sugar or jaggery.

With a generous amount of toasted or ghee-fried nuts as a garnish, it can be served warm or cold. Although whole milk, or full-fat milk, is used to make the traditional Sabudana Kheer, any type of milk, including vegan alternatives like almond or coconut milk, can be used.

How To make sabudana kheer (Step by Step)

Ingredients:

¼ cup sabudana / sago / saggubiyyam / tapioca

½ cup water, for soaking

3 cups milk, full cream

¼ cup sugar or jaggery, add more if required

10 cashews, halved

2 tbsp pista chopped

2 tbsp raisins / dry grapes

¼ tsp cardamom powder / elachi powder

pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Rinse ¼ cup of sabudana thoroughly at least twice. After that, add 1 cup of water and start cooking, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. To cut down on cooking time, you can alternatively soak the sabudana in boiling water for 30 minutes to overnight. To make cooking easier, keep soaked and drained sabudana in the refrigerator for up to two days.

2. Here, add a pinch of salt to the sabudana . Adding a bit of salt to some sweets will make them taste better.

3. Check to see if the sabudanas are cooked through when they become transparent. You can check by biting into a few. They must not be chewy or firm. The first indication that the pearls are cooked to perfection is that they all seem transparent. Next, add ¼ cup of jaggery or sugar. I made use of jaggery.

4. I simmered the sabudana kheer till it thickened since I used jaggery. Next, add ¼ tsp of powdered cardamom. 

5.  Switch off the flame and pour hot milk over the sabudana.

6. Serve the sabudana kheer warm or cold. If desired, garnish with saffron and chopped nuts.

FAQs

1. To reduce the cooking time, soak the sabudana in boiling water for 30 minutes.
2. Since sabudanas cook more quickly in water than in milk, I simmer them in water until they are clear before adding milk.
3. Blend 10 to 12 blanched almonds, 1 pinch of saffron, and half a cup of milk until smooth to add richness and flavor to this kheer. Toward the end, pour it over the kheer. Just a few minutes of simmering.