Thursday 29 January 2015

Sabudana khichdi / Sago khichdi

As kids, we looked forward to days when Mom and aunts would fast. It would mean a treat for us too as differeent delicacies were made. The star attraction for me would be the sabudana khichdi. Who would mind fasting if one could feast on things like these!
I don't fast as often as my Mom did so I had to find other reasons to make this khichdi. I didn't have to hunt too much. Everyone at home loves this dish and so when we are bored of regular roti-sabzi routine, I go for this. Maharashtrians make it for breakfast and Indoris are certified devotees of this dish.

Here is how to go about it.  

Serves: 2 or 2.5                                    

Ingredients:
Sabudana : 300 gms
Potatoes: 2 medium, cubed finely
Roasted, skinned peanuts : a handful or 2 handfuls, ground roughly
Green chillies: 2-3, chopped
Coriander: a generous handful
Lemon: 1 medium
Jeera: 2 teaspoons
Normal salt or sendha namak: according to taste
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Black pepper: a couple of pinches
Oil or ghee: 4 tablespoons
Optional : Fresh pomegranate seeds

Way to go:
1. Wash sabudana and soak for 5-6 hours. The pearly whites should be underwater when you soak.
2. Heat oil or ghee and add jeera. Add potatoes.
3. Crush peanuts slightly. When potatoes are almost done, add chillies and peanuts.
4. Put soaked sabudana, rock salt and pepper powder and sugar. Mix well taking care that the pearls don't get crushed. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes on low flame.
5. Sprinkle a little water if it looks dry.  Cover and cook again for a couple of minutes. The end result should be a moist but not sticky khichdi.
6. Garnish with coriander and pomegranate seeds. Add lime juice and mix well. Serve piping hot.
7. Some people also garnish it with grated coconut or potato sev falahari mix. I like the original taste so much that I don't want to mask it with sev.

Tips:
The most tricky part of this khichdi for me was to soak it correctly. There have been times when sabudana was not properly soaked and khichdi turned out to be chewy. To avoid this, soak sabudana in adequate water - sabudana should be just submerged. After a couple of hours, turn the pearls and sprinkle more water if it has dried up.




Pindkhajoor ka doodh/ Date flavored milk

This is one of those delicacies from childhood, which bring back a cavalcade of memories. 'Pindkhajoor ka doodh' is a very, very, very simple recipe. (Have I emphasised the simple part enough?) Literally a child's play. On top of it, the taste is so heavenly, you can't thank your stars enough to have discovered such a dessert!

Mummy used to make this on cold, wintry, Rajasthani nights. Dinner would be over, me and Bhaiyya would have finished our homework and would be getting ready for bed when Mummy would bring in this steaming delight. We would tuck ourselves in a thick rajai and relish the creamy, brownish, sweet milk and scoop up tender dates. Soon enough, the bowl would be smacked clean....did I mention that the last sip was the best? Nectar of nectars is the only word I can come up with to describe the taste of the last sip. Winters were brrrrrrrrr.... but such a treat made them worthwhile. Thanks, Mom for making our winter memories warm and sweet with those bowlfuls of 'pindkhajoor ka doodh'. 

Here's the recipe:

Serves : 2 greedy people or 3 not-so-greedy ones:

Ingredients: 

Milk: 3/4 litres
Dates : 5-6
Sugar: 1 tablespoon or according to taste


Way to go:

1. Wash dates thoroughly. Pat them dry. Discard stones and slice the flesh vertically.
2. Put milk on boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add dates and let the mix simmer on low flame for 20-25 minutes.
3. Add sugar.
4. Transfer in a bowl. Take along a spoon. Get inside a rajai and gorge on it!

Tips:

1. It is a totally flexible recipe. You can add more or less dates. If you want thicker consistency of milk, take more milk and simmer for longer.

2. If you are happy with natural sweetness of dates, discard sugar altogether. I love it with sugar though.
3. After putting a spoonful in your mouth, close your eyes. Instant nirvana!

If you try this recipe and like it, please leave a comment.