Sabudana Khichdi Sundal | Navratras Special Fusion Recipe by Masterchefmom | Gluten Free and Vegan Recipe

Hi Supermoms,

Navratri/Navratras are just round the corner. I have received so many requests from many of you to update some Vrat/fasting recipes that are easy to cook and also healthy. 

Being a South Indian living in North India for close to two decades, my Navratri celebration is a mix of North and South. I love to keep 'Golu'( a traditional arrangement of dolls) , cook sundal and also try to keep Vrat using the Vrat specific ingredients in my cooking during that time. Some ingredients like tomatoes, turmeric, red chillies/chilli powder and regular salt are avoided during this time. Rice and wheat are strictly avoided . 

Sabudana/Tapioca pearls are a part of any fasting meal during the Navratra. From Kheer, Vada to papad, the pearls are used in different ways. In South, 'Sundal' is a sweet or spicy dish that is made using legumes like chickpeas, black eyed peas, green gram, kala channa/black garbanzo beans etc., and also using dals like moong dal and channa dal . This Sundal is offered as neivedyam/offering every day. 

Today, I am sharing a recipe that can become a meal by itself. The best part of this recipe is that the dish will be tasty even if the pearls become mushy when you cook. I can understand that many of you have a difficulty in getting pearls dry and non-sticky when you cook them. Also, the variety of tapioca pearls that you get in your State/Country is so different. So, no worries at all. Just follow the steps that I have shared to make the Sundal Khichdi and you will  be happy with the result. 

I have used black eyed peas as it hardly takes time to cook them. I steamed them for just around 10 minutes. But you can always use chickpeas or kala channa/brown garbanzo beans. They will taste equally awesome. 

Sabudana Khichdi Sundal :

Preparation time : 8 hours or overnight

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4-6

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients :

1 cup tapioca pearls /sabudana

1 cup black eyed peas ( wash and soak for 4-5 hours)

10 black raisins

5-6 cashew nuts ( halved)

10-12 groundnuts ( preferably roasted)

1/2 cup fresh coconut (grated)( or powdered)

rock salt/ senda namak to taste

For tempering :

1 tablespoon oil ( I used coconut oil)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

2-3 green chillies

3-4 curry leaves ( roughly torn)(optional)

Method:

1. Wash and soak the tapioca pearls in just enough water to cover them and allow them to soak overnight. 

Chef tip: You can refer to this link for more tips to soak sabudana.

2. Also soak the black eyed peas, steam them for 10 minutes or till they are cooked and set them aside. 

3. Heat a kadai/wok with oil and temper with ingredients given for the same.

4. Add the raisins, cashew nuts and groundnuts and fry till they get lightly roasted.

5. Add the sabudana and keep stirring till they turn transparent in colour.

Chef tip : Do not add salt to the sabudana

6. Add half of the grated coconut, mix well and transfer the sabudana into a wide vessel.

7. Place the kadai back on low flame and add the steamed black eyed peas.

8. Add salt and keep stirring and frying them till the excess water is absorbed.

9. Transfer them into the wide basin along with the sabudana.

10. Using a ladle, mix them well.

11. Add the remaining grated coconut and mix again .

Your delicious Sabudana Khichdi Sundal is now ready . 

Happy Cooking!

With love,

Masterchefmom