Sabudana Khichdi

Does it really need an introduction? Soft spongy balls of tapioca with perfectly cooked soft cubes of potato with nutty roasted peanuts with the spicy kick of ginger and chilies. 

Always use the large sabudana, the small one will become a sticky lump in this method of preparation. 

Ingredients:

250 grams sago / tapioca / sabudana (approx 2 cups after being soaked and drained)

1 1/2 cups diced potato (3 medium potatoes)
1/3 cup peanuts
2 green chilies
1 inch piece of ginger
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt
1/2 handful of coriander, chopped
Lemon wedges

Wash the sabudana under water till the starch is washed away (the water will be clear). Take about 1/2 cup of water and soak the sago in it. Cover the vessel. If it becomes dry, sprinkle some water on the sago and cover again. Let it soak for about 1 hour. The balls will fluff up and become soft.

Dry roast the peanuts either in an air fryer for 7-8 minutes at 180 deg or in a thick bottom wok on the stove. Keep stirring continuously (if using a wok) for even roasting. Crush the peanuts in short pulses in a blender till coarsely ground. Removing the skin of the peanuts is optional.

Wash and remove the stem of the chili. Remove the skin of the ginger and chop into small pieces. Take the chilies, ginger, salt (1 teaspoon, only enough for the sago), sugar and lemon juice and crush using a blender.

In a wok, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Stir to make sure all the seeds crackle evenly. Add the cubed potatoes and salt (only enough for the potatoes). Mix once and cover to cook. The potatoes will take about 10 minutes to cook. Stir gently once midway to make sure all the potatoes are cooked evenly. When the potaoes are cooked, add the sabudana, crushed peanuts and chili-ginger paste. Fold in gently till everything is evenly combined. Cook till the sabudana starts becoming translucent, about 5 minutes. The chili ginger paste will also be cooked. Towards the end add the coriander and mix.

Serve hot with a wedge of lemon and curd on the side.