It’s that time of the year again. The time to kickstart the celebrations, which for us, will now go till pretty much the end of the year and even to the beginning of next. Can’t believe we are almost so close to the end of the year and the talks of it have begun! Its time to start rounding things up that you have gathered overtime and get into a full on deep cleaning of the house. The calendars have already been booked for weeks and months from now with one celebration scheduled after the other. Garba (a form of dance party people plan around this time of the year) planned for one weekend then Kanya Pooja on the next. Yes, Navratri is here!
Nine days of Maa and nine days of celebrations! One of my favorite times of the year. If you wanna know more about Navratri, I’ve written about it a couple times before too, here and here. I like everything about this festive time apart from the main reason that the little girls, goddesses are celebrated everyday of this nine day period. It’s more laid back than other festivals like Diwali or Holi where you just go all out. It’s extended over a course of few days which means little something everyday. And also the food, simpler, cleaner and satvik. And that is what I want to stress on today.
Satvik diet is the food based on the philosophies of Ayurveda. According to yoga literature food is divided into three categories based on their guna (quality). Tamasik, the food that have sedative qualities and reduces the energy of the body. Rajasik, food that is more of a stimulant that although increases the energy of the body but is harmful in long run. And the third is Satvik diet or the diet included food that are pure, clean, natural and vital for the enhancement of the body and also effects the mind and soul. And during Navratri this is the diet that is commonly practiced which in return is believed to aid the cleansing of the body and soul.
So today on the first day of Navratri, I’m here to share one such dish called Sabudana Khichdi. This Sabudana Khichdi recipe mainly uses tapioca pearls which in Hindi is called sabudana, a few very simple spices and herbs. One thing that many who do not know the dish deeply will find interesting is the use of rock salt, sendha namak in Hindi. Use of rock salt instead of table salt is another common practice when cooking in fasting food. In addition to being Satvik dish, Sabudana Khichdi is also a popular street food in North India.
Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
Ingredients
- tapioca pearls- 1 cup
- Water- 2 cups
- Ghee- 1 tablespoon
- Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
- Thai Green Chili- 1-2 minced
- Potato boiled- 1/2 cup (diced or crushed to small bite size chunks)
- Rock Salt powder- 3/4 teaspoon
- Lime or lemon juice- 1 tablespoon
- Cilantro- 1/4 cup chopped
- Peanuts roasted and coarsely crushed - 1/4 cup (optional)
Instructions
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Transfer tapioca pearls in a medium sized bowl. Add water to it. Soak tapioca in the water for at least an hour or until the tapioca pearls puff up to double its size.
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Heat ghee in a wok or sauté pan. Add cumin seeds and chili. As they sputter and sizzle add potatoes. Give it a quick toss and add salt. Mix well.
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Add puffed tapioca pearls to the pan. Turn off the heat. Give it a good toss to mix everything together.
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Throw in the rest of the ingredients into the pan. Give everything a gentle toss. Serve warm.
More Navratri Recipes: