Sabudana khichdi

It is amazing how music brings back memories of the past. Whenever I listen to old hindi songs I remember my school days. There used to be a cycle repair shop right next to our school which happened to be right outside the window next to my desk. Everyday 11 to 12 they used to play old songs in the radio which used to be on in full blast. Even today whenever I listen to any old songs and just close my eyes I feel I am back in the classroom.

Just like music brings back memories of the past, sometimes food brings back memories too. Same is the case with sabudana khichdi. There is a street in Pune called Tulsi Bagh. It is a street where we can get anything and everything at a good price. Of course this place is always crowded. There is this vendor who had these huge aluminium boxes of goodies. He had Sabudana khichdi, Kanda poha, Batata wada and sabudana wada. He didn't have a proper shop, he would just be at a corner of the road and sell these goodies, of course he was bhaiya to all young and old. You have to be lucky to have these dishes because they would be over soon, it is just luck if you are there when he opens the boxes. It is also amazing how all these dishes tasted the same everytime. Even now whenever I visit india I do go there just to taste these goodies.

The key to making good sabudana Khichdi is adding the right amount of water to soak it. If you add too much water the khichdi turns sticky and if you add too little it turns hard. It will take a couple of tries but it is possible to master it.

Ingredients

Sabudana - 1 cup

Peanuts - 1/2 cup (roasted and ground coarsely)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Cilantro

Green Chillies - 3

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut for garnish

salt and lemon

Method

Wash the sabudana and drain the water leaving only enough water to immerse all the sabudana and leave it overnight. The next morning all the water is soaked up and the sabudhana are soft and white. Add the peanut powder, salt and 1/2 tsp sugar to the sabudana and mix well.

Take ghee in a pan. Add Cumin seeds when it changes color add curry leaves and green chillies. Saute and then add the sabudana and mix well. Keep stirring in medium flame till the sabudana looks transperant. Add the cilantro and coconut. Squeeze Lemon juice and mix well.
Serve hot.