Sabudana Khichdee 2.0

After having cooked Chef Mandar Madav’s Kanda Poha (recipe on blog), I had been pestering him, for a foolproof Sabudana Khichdee recipe. For those of you who don’t know Mandar, he is Executive Chef at the Conrad Centennial, in Singapore. I’ve had the most amazing food when he was Executive Chef at Conrad-Pune. We lost him to Singapore. ☹ Lucky buggers! 😜

Getting back to the recipe… Why 2.0, you wonder? That’s because I have already posted a workable recipe of Sabudana Khichdee. And though, this one is very similar to the first, for all the tiny (important) changes incorporated, I felt this one turned out better. Feel free to give both recipes a try and opt for the one that works best for you. 😊 I did make teeny-weeny changes, but this recipe is all Mandar, and it’s stellar. Follow it to a T and rest assured, you’ll have a khichdee with pearls of sabudana (sago) separate and ‘khila-khila’, just as they should be. 

Chef Mandar Madav, heartfelt thanks for allowing me to constantly trouble you for this recipe and for sharing it so generously and so perfectly.

Ingredients:

2 cups filled to the brim (or 300 grams) sabudana (sago) 

2 cups water, filled to the brim (for prep)
30 ml milk
1 cup peanuts
½ cup peanuts
20-25 curry leaves
3 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1 cm cubes
½ tablespoon cumin seeds
5 green chilies, cut into 1 cm pieces
4 tablespoons ghee
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar 
A handful coriander, chopped

Prep: 

1. In a pan, roast 1 cup peanuts, ON LOW HEAT, until the peanuts turn a few shades darker and emit a beautiful nutty aroma. (Also, at this point the thin covering of the peanuts will loosen up.) This should, ideally, take 10 to 15 minutes. Do NOT rush this. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Remove the peanuts onto a plate. Rub the peanuts in the palm of your hands and discard the outer covering from all peanuts. ALLOW TO COOL.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Once cool, grind the peanuts (please check video for ground peanut consistency) and keep aside, in an airtight box. 
   
   
   
   
4. Approximately 10 to 11 hours BEFORE COOKING, gently wash the sabudana three or four times, until the water runs clear. (like you would for rice) 
   
5. Lay out the washed sabudana in a large thali. (Most recipes tell you to use a bowl, TRUST ME, go with a deep stainless-steel thali). 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Pour 2 cups water (480 mils) water filled to the brim to cover the sabudana. To ensure there are no mistakes or confusion about the sabudana-water proportion/ratio, I repeat, I used the cup measurement FILLED RIGHT TO THE BRIM for the sabadana and for the water. No confusion, right? 
7. Add the milk, give it a gentle stir. 
8. Cover and leave the sabudana aside for a minimum of 10 hours to a maximum of 11 hours. (I usually soaked the sabudana from 11.45 PM to 10.30 AM – room temperature – do NOT put it in the fridge) 
   
   

IMPORTANT: While you can prep the peanuts well in advance, you need to decide on what time you plan to cook the Khichdee, as the soaking time for the sabudana will mainly depend on that. That’s it; prep done!

Method:

1. Take a LARGE colander and to that add the sabudana that have been soaking for 10 to 11 hours. The sabudana will have absorbed all the water and would have doubled in size by now.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat ghee in a large non-stick pan/kadhai. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add the half cup of peanuts, turn the flame to low and fry the peanuts until it emits a nice toasty aroma. When done, remove the peanuts from the ghee and keep aside. Please do NOT rush this, fry them on low heat. 
   
   
   
   
4. Add the cumin seeds to the same ghee and allow to splutter.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add cubed potatoes, give them a stir, cover and cook until they are cooked to 90% doneness. 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Open the lid, intermittently, and give them a stir, a couple of times, while they are cooking. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Add curry leaves, green chilies, salt and give it a stir. 
   
   
   
   
   
8. Add the sabudana, the ground peanut powder and sugar. Give it a mix.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Take the vessel off the stove, with a spatula, toss the sabudana mixture gently, but well, to ensure the sabudana and the ground peanut powder come together evenly. 
   
   
   
   
10. Put the sago back on the stove, on HIGH FLAME. 
11. Add the fried peanuts. and cook for a minute. Also, check seasoning at this point and adjust if needed. 
12. Do not cook the sabudana for more than a minute on HIGH FLAME. Give it a few tosses, to ensure it heats evenly. (Please check Chef Note No. 8, and the video attached above, as regards to the correct way of tossing/stirring the sabudana) 
13. Turn the stove off after that one minute of high heat cooking. 
    
14. COVER the vessel for 4 minutes (at least) and allow it to accumulate steam from within. 
    
15. Open the lid after the marked 4 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves and give it a gentle stir/toss. Serve!
    
    
    
    
    

Chef Notes:

1. The difference between the first Saudana Khichdee recipe posted by me and this one is really tiny and yet, those very tiny changes, as suggested by Chef Mandar, made a world of difference.
2. Chef Mandar’s recipe called for 1 medium potato, the Bawi in me, used 3 medium potatoes. Chef Mandar’s recipe requires chilies to be cut into 1 cm pieces. I cut 3 chilies finely and 2 chilies into 1 cm pieces. At most times, I prefer to chop all 5 chilies finely (I prefer that). Whole fried peanuts are not a part of Chef Mandar’s recipe, but we love them. These are tiny changes are incorporated by me but the recipe is perfect and works beautifully. 
3. Please ALLOW the roasted peanuts TO COOL before you grind them, or you may end up with a soggy, clumpy peanut mix. 
4. The ground peanuts are essential as they tend to soak up the wee bit of extra moisture (if any) of the soaked sabudana. This will ensure the sabudana does not turn lumpy or clump up. 
5. VERY IMPORTANT: At the end of the cook, leave the pan covered for 3 to 4 minutes as it allows the starchy sabudana to sort itself out. This is quite like how we leave cooked-steamed rice when we want each grain to be separate. The same method works here. 
6. I used the Badadana Sabudana. Do NOT opt for tiny variety of sabudana pearls. 
7. I used a spatula all throughout the cooking process as a curved spoon would most likely damage the delicate sabudana pearls. In case you don’t have a spatula, please use a FLAT wooden spoon (the one you would use with a non-stick pan). 
8. The best way to mix sabudana while cooking is to go in from the sides of the pan and toss the sabudana into the centre of the pan. Do that from all sides of the pan to keep mixing and tossing the sabudana. This ensures they don’t get smashed. 
   
9. This recipe and the finer points are mainly penned IN SUCH MINUTE DETAIL for people who are fed up with clumped-up sabudana. I humbly bow to experts who have been making sabudana for decades and can cook this recipe blindfolded. 
10. There are many variations to this recipe. A few examples to this would be… The use of raw, cubed potatoes instead of boiled, adding a touch of turmeric powder and the use of finely grated coconut as garnish. The variations vary from region to region. 
11. The cup I used is a regular measuring cup. For clarity… The maximum marking on the cup shows 200 mils but if you fill it right to the brim, the amount goes up to an exact 240 mils; the Universal measurement of one cup (Please, let’s not get into the US - UK measurement argument). I suggest you fill the cup for sabudana and water right up to the brim (as did I) to avoid any confusion. Theek hai? 😉 
12. The photographs are a mix as regards to spoons, plates, etc., coz I have clicked pics every time I cooked this. I've lost count of the number of times I've recreated this in my kitchen. 
13. As mentioned at the onset, the original recipe belongs Chef Mandar Madav. The photographs, though, belong to my blog, Kenzy’s Kitchen Korner. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes, and/or my photographs, on any blogsite or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
    
    Some more photographs:
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I served hot Sabudana Khichdee to my family, but I had too much work in the kitchen hence I finally sat down with it 2 hours later. I could not help but shoot this video to show you the texture. Even after two hours, the sabudana pearls were fluffy, yet separate. :)

Sautéed Mushrooms Baby Potatoes

I came across this recipe on an FB food group, somewhere in 2014 or 2015. The recipe belongs to Sudeshna Bhattacharya. While I searched high and low for the original recipe on that group, I was unable to find it. I am very sure, though, that the recipe belongs to Sudeshna coz when I saved it on a Word document, I’d made a note of it. I usually (99.9%) do that, to ensure I give credit where due. 

I have no frikkin’ clue how I missed posting this recipe. The photographs are old, clicked on the first Note phone released by Samsang. They were clicked at the time when I had cooked this. They aren’t the best pics but, trust me when I say, the recipe is a keeper. I say this, coz had the recipe not turned out right, I would have deleted it from my recipe folder immediately. It was kept safe, that means… you can give this a try and expect excellent results. 😉 

Ingredients:

400 grams mushrooms, washed and halved
250 grams baby potatoes
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
½ teaspoon lemon pepper powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil the baby potatoes. Peel and halve. Keep aside.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat oil, add garlic, onions, green chilies, and sauté till onions turn translucent. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add smoked paprika powder, lemon pepper powder and sauté for a few seconds. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add the halved mushrooms. Cook on high heat, mix intermittently and gently, till the mushrooms are semi-cooked. 
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add the baby potatoes, mix, and cook till the juices in the pan are nearly dry. 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Add salt, as needed. Cook for a few minutes more until the juices in the pan are dry. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Add the spring onions, give it a mix and immediately take the pan off the stove. Serve!
   
   
   
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. Feel free to adjust the green chilies to your liking.
2. If lemon pepper powder isn’t available to you feel free to use a bit of lemon zest and black pepper powder to make up for the ready spice blend. 
3. If paprika isn’t available, substitute it with Deghi Lal Mirch powder or Kashmiri Chili Powder. 
4. While this is a dry preparation, if you prefer the dish to be a tad moist, take it off the flame a bit sooner.
5. As mentioned at the onset, the original recipe belongs to Sudeshna Bhattacharya. The photographs, though, belong to my blog, Kenzy’s Kitchen Korner. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes, and/or my photographs, on any blogsite or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.

Some more photographs:

Kheema Masoor Pulao

I saw this recipe at a Ranveer Brar video, on Facebook. I instantly fell in love with it. I knew right away I had to recreate it. While Ranveer chose to make this with chicken kheema (mince), the hardcore carnivore in me opted for mutton mince. I doubled the quantity so if you are cooking for a family of three or four, I suggest you halve the ingredients. 

As I’d chosen mutton mince, I adjusted the proportion of a few ingredients. I also added an extra twist to this fabulous recipe to enhance it further. Read on to know what I did. 😉

Ingredients:

½ cup sabut masoor (Brown Lentil), wash and soak for 2 hours
2½ cups Basmati rice, wash, and soak for 20 to 30 minutes
500 grams mutton mince
140 grams fried onions
230 grams onions, chopped or sliced
4 green chilies, cut into 1-inch slant pieces
3 heaped tablespoons ginger garlic paste
2 large pinches of saffron (optional but I’d say, go with it)
7 tablespoons/105 grams bland curd (NOT sour), (Important: whisk to a smooth texture)
3 heaped teaspoons Deghi Mirch Powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2½ teaspoons coriander powder
A handful coriander leaves, chopped
A large handful mint leaves, chopped
5 - 6 tablespoons clarified butter (ideally, 6 😉)
2 Bay leaves
4 pieces of 1-inch cinnamon
6 - 8 cloves
12 -16 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste (for kheema marination and rice)

Method:

1. Add fried onions (retain a bit for garnish), raw onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, saffron, curd, Deghi mirch powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and salt to the mutton mince. Marinate well and leave aside for 30 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel or a large non-stick pan. (I used a huge heavy bottomed non-stick pan) 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add the marinated mutton mince and sauté until the clumpy kheema gets to a nice crumbly mince texture. The mince may leave a bit of water at this point: don't worry about it.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Drain the sabut masoor and add to the mutton mince. 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Sauté the mutton mince and sabut masoor for 2 to 3 minutes minutes. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Drain the rice and add it to the mutton mince-masoor mix. 
   
8. Add 1350 mils of water, salt to taste, and give it one (only one, please) very gentle stir. 
   
   
   
   
   
9. Once the water begins to bubble, turn the flame to low, cover the vessel with a tight lid and continue cooking for 20 to 25 minutes. (Do NOT keep opening the vessel frequently to check) 
10. After 20-25 minutes on low heat, the water will have been absorbed by the pulao. Open the lid, QUICKLY pick up a few random grains of rice and QUICKLY shut the lid again. 
    
    
    
    
    
11. Check the grains of rice for doneness. If the rice still has a light bite to it continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes on LOW heat, then shut off the stove and keep the vessel covered for 10 minutes and allow the cooked rice to ‘rest’. 
12. Open the lid and gently, with a spatula, toss the rice to separate the grains. Go into the rice from the sides of the vessel and toss the rice in the middle. (Video attached to show how.)
    
    
    
    

This is where Ranveer Brar’s recipe ends. The next step is all me and I urge you to put in a wee bit of effort to take this recipe to greater heights. The recipe by Brar is so perfect, it deserves the honour of a ‘Dhungar’. 😊

Dhungar (Smoking):

Ingredients:

Small aluminium or stainless vati (small bowl)
OR
Double a sheet of aluminium foil and make a small makeshift bowl 
A tiny piece of coal
1 teaspoon pure ghee/clarified butter

Method: 

1. Once you open the lid and gently toss the rice, put a small stainless steel vati in the centre or the rice. If the pulao is filled right to the top of the vessel, create a crater in the centre of the rice and then place the vati in that crater.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat a tiny piece of coal on the stove and when it gets to a point wherein it begins to glow red.
   
   
   
   
3. Carefully place it in the vati. 
   
   
   
   
4. Quickly, but carefully, pour the pure ghee/clarified butter over the coal. 
   
   
   
   
5. Immediately shut the lid over the pulao vessel. 
6. Leave covered for 10 to 15 minutes. Open the lid after 10-15 minutes and remove the vati/charcoal.
7. Garnish with the pulao with the remaining fried onions. Inhale that fabulous smoky aroma and… Serve! 
   
   
   
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. Do NOT use sour dahi and please ensure you whisk the dahi to a smooth texture before adding it to the mince.
2. I’d doubled the quantity of ingredients for this recipe hence used quite a generous pinch of saffron. If you chose to use a tiny pinch, or no saffron at all, the colour of your rice will not have that light ‘saffron-yellow’ hue. Saffron is optional but I’d say, go with it. After all it’s a pulao. 😉 
3. For clarification with regard to the water added to the rice, the ratio is 1:2 therefore add 5 cups water (1250 mils) for 2.5 cups rice, and approximately 125/150 mils (10% extra) for the masoor. 
4. When you add salt to the rice, please err on the side of caution as salt was also added to the kheema/mince. 
5. Once you shut the lid, for the rice to cook, remember to turn the flame to LOW and let the water and the heat do its thang (thing 😊). Hold yourself back from wanting to open the lid time and time again and refrain from stirring the rice. If you follow this point as directed, rest assured, the grains of rice will not be a broken mess. 
6. The 10 minute ‘resting time’, after the rice is cooked, is extremely essential. It gives the rice time to hold its shape, ensuring the grains don’t disintegrate when you toss them later, to separate the grains. It ensures you plate a gorgeous pulao. 
7. Tip: Follow this ‘rest the rice’ rule whenever you cook rice. Pssssttt 😉 In case you have a wee bit of rice stuck to the bottom of the vessel, the ‘resting’ time (read: steam) will loosen up the stuck rice. Yeh meri guarantee hai! This, of course, does not apply when you burn the rice, warna bologe, “you had said it would loosen the rice”. 😝 
8. While this pulao does not have huge pieces of meat or chicken adorning it and looks quite unassuming when you plate it, don’t go by its looks. Trust me, it is robust in flavour. Aur Dhunagar ke baad toh kya kehne! 
9. While I know Ranveer Brar is too busy a person to reply, I would like to say… “Thank you ever so much for this fabulous recipe, Ranveer, and I hope, if you ever recreate it, you try giving it a Dhungar. It’ll take your fabulous recipe to new heights. From one food lover to another, I promise!” 
10. As mentioned at the onset, the original recipe belongs Ranveer Brar. This version of the recipe and the photographs, though, belong to my blog, Kenzy’s Kitchen Korner. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes, and/or my photographs, on any blogsite or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
    

Some more photographs: