CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Simple- Savory & Sweet are the three best ways to describe sago or sabudana as we call it in our local kitchen terms. One of the most humble ingredients which helps us in a number of ways in day-to-day cooking and somehow due to its neutral nature and characteristics it is fondly liked by most of us.
Sabudana is not only popular in India as a great snack, breakfast, brunch, evening snack form but is also well known in various international cuisines as well. Its use and applications in kitchens across the world has been well appreciated and recognised in a number of recipes from starters, main dishes, accompaniments and desserts as well.
For most people sago is known to be commonly used in making our upvas or vrat ki khichdi, the sabudana vadas being equally popular and is a perfect delight when eaten hot fried with chutney on the side. For me, of course, sabudana has been an active ingredient in chaat making as well, a mushroom and sabudana khichdi, sabudana with chicken and olives in the form of a baked dish with cheese is yummy! Sago pudding, sabudana phirni, brown rice and sabudana pancakes, sago aur Nariyal ki burfi and the list just goes on!
Sago or sabudana also has a number of health benefits as well
- Sago is good for the bone health in our body.
- Sago is known to be helping us gain weight if we need to.
- Sago is good to have since it gives a boost to our energy levels.
- Sago is helpful keeping our blood pressure in control.
- Sago is great to assist in digestion system in our body.
Here are some easy to make recipes using Sago or Sabudana
AKHROAT AUR SABUDANA KA MEETHA
[WALNUT SAGO PUDDING]
Ingredients
Sabudana- 1 cup soaked in water for 20 mins.
Walnuts- ¼ cup sliced
Raisins- 2-3 tbsp.
Milk- 600 ml- 700 ml.
Sugar/ jaggery/ honey- to taste
Green elaichi powder-1/4 tsp
Ghee- 1 tsp
Dates/khajoor-2-3 sliced.
Dark chocolate-2-3 tbsp. chopped.
Method
- Assemble all the ingredients for the sweet dish.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan and add sweetener of your choice, add elaichi powder, and the soaked sabudana and allow it to cook on low flame for 15-18 mins, stir occasionally.
- Adjust the texture add more milk if required, add dates, walnuts, raisins and ghee, cook on low flame for another 8-10 mins.
- Check for sweetness and adjust if needed, turn off the flame and add 2-3 tbsp. chopped dark chocolate/chocolate chips/chocolate sauce and mix well.
- Dish out the sweet into dessert cups/glasses and garnish with nuts, served warm or chilled.
SABUDANA PARATHA
[mix of sago and whole-wheat stuffed Indian bread]
Ingredients
Sabudana-1/4 cup, lightly roast and powder it.
Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
Salt to taste
Ghee/oil- 2 tsp.
Ajwain-1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Water as needed to knead the dough.
For the stuffing
Methi leaves-1/2 cup chopped
Boiled mashed sweet potato-1/2 cup
Salt and crushed jeera powder to taste
Chopped green chili-1 tsp
Oil/ghee as needed for cooking the parathas.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the dough and the stuffing.
- In a mixing bowl or thali combine ingredients for the dough and make nice firm hard dough, cover and keep aside for 15 mins.
- In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the stuffing and mix well.
- Divide dough and stuffing into 4 equal portion, roll out the dough into a chapati, stuff it and seal it, roll it back into a half inch thick paratha.
- Cook on a tava, non-stick pan using oil/ghee until nicely browned on both sides, serve hot with papad, achar and raita.
CHATPATA STUFFED SABUDANA VADAS
[Stuffed Sago Cutlets]
Ingredients
Sabudana-1 cup soaked in 3 cups water for 15 mins.
Oil-2 tsp for cooking + as needed for frying.
Ghee-1 tsp
Curry leaves- 10-12 no
Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Ginger-1 tsp chopped
Boiled mashed potato-1 cup
Salt to taste
Red chili powder-1/4 tsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Coriander-2 tbsp. chopped
For the stuffing
Cheese-2 tbsp.
Assorted chopped nuts-2 tsp
Mint leaves- 2 tsp chopped
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Dates-2 tsp chopped
Mix the ingredients for stuffing together in a bowl.
To serve with: green mint and coriander chutney/ dips/sauces.
Method
- Assemble the ingredients for the Chatpata vadas.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan add in the ginger, curry leaves, cumin, chilies and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add in the crushed peanuts and mashed potatoes, salt, red chili powder, and chaat masala and cook for 2 mins, add coriander leaves and remove from gas.
- Now add in the soaked drained sabudana and mix well. Apply oil in the hands and divide the mixture into 10-12 equal portions.
- Flatten each portion and place a little mix of the cheesy nutty filling and seal it back, shape into round tikkis or cutlets.
- Heat oil on a medium flame and slowly fry the vadas for 3-4 mins until nicely golden browned, remove on a kitchen paper and serve hot with choice of chutneys/dips/sauces.
FRUITY SABUDANA CUSTARD
[SAGO CUSTARD WITH FRUITS]
Ingredients
Sabudana- 1 cup soaked in 3 cups water for 20 mins.
Vanilla flavoured yellow custard- 3-4 cups chilled.
Condensed milk-1/4 tin
Milk- 3 cups
Assorted dry fruits- 2-3 tbsp. chopped
Coconut milk-1 cup
Tender coconut malai-1/2 cup shredded
Fresh fruits: as per your choice
Lychees- 4-5 cut into pieces
Custard apple pulp-1/2 cup
Cherries-6 – 8 no
Pomegranate seeds-1/2 cup
Banana-1 ripe peeled and sliced
Chickoo-2 no peeled and cubes.
Method
- Prepare the basic vanilla flavoured custard and chill.
- Heat milk and add in the soaked sabudana and cook on a low flame for 15 mins, add in the coconut milk and cook for another 10-12 min on low flame, add in the condensed milk.
- To layer the pudding in a dessert bow, start with custard and fruit layer at the base and top with the sabudana layer with nuts.
- Layer the dessert and chill for 1-2 hours and serve cold, garnish with tender coconut malai, nuts, cherries etc.
SABUDANA – MAKHANE KA MEETHA
[SAGO AND LOTUS SEED SWEET]
Ingredients
Sabudana-1/2 cup soaked in 3 cups water for 20 mins
Makhanas/lotus seeds-1 cup
Milk- 750 ml
Mava- 2-3 tbsp. grated
Sugar/condensed milk- to taste
Ghee-1 tsp
Green cardamom powder-1/4 tsp
Assorted nuts- 2-3 tsp chopped
Rose water-1 tsp
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the sweet dish.
- Heat milk in a saucepan add in the mava, sugar/condensed milk to taste and add elaichi powder and add in the drained sabudana and allow to cook in the milk for 12-15 mins, stir occasionally.
- Then add in the makhanas and ghee, nuts and mix well and simmer the dessert for 8-10 mins.
- Turn off the flame, cool down add little rose water and mix well, set the sweet in individual cups/bowls and garnish with nuts, rose petals etc chill for 1-2 hours and serve.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336
