Sabudana Kheer Recipe – Sago Pudding

Sabudana Kheer Recipe – Coming from a Hindu family, fasting during Hindu festivals is one common thing from me. Talking of fasting, hindu fasts (also called vrat / upvas) is not about not eating at all. Hindu fasts suggests that there are few things which can be consumed, especially when opening the fast. Sabudana kheer or Tapioca seeds pudding is one such thing which is commonly eaten during Hindu fast. This is a creamy pudding made from sabudana.

What is Sabudana Kheer

Sabudana is tapioca seeds. It is also known as sago pearls or seeds. These are small white pearl like seeds. A pudding from these is sabudana kheer. This is a creamy dessert and is extremely popular in northern india, especially during Navratri.

I remember my childhood days when my mum and dad would observe 9 days fast of Navratri twice an year. As a kid, I was more fascinated with the food that I would get to eat. My mum would make variety of things ranging from kuttu / buckwheat puri, or dosa, paneer fritters, sabudana fritters, lauki kheer and sabudana kheer too. As you can see it was not fast, but feast with variety of food. Of course as kid, I will eat to heart’s content without really knowing the value of fast.

Now that I have kids on my own, I try to do same as my mum did. I will make all such things during Navratri or other fasting days like shivratri or janamashtmi. My daughter now probably things and looks at these food items as festival special food. To be honest, you can make all these things on any normal day. On rare occasions, I will make sabudana kheer on a normal day as different type of dessert.

Ingredients for sabudana kheer

There are three key ingredients

• Sabudana / Tapioca seeds : These are white small seeds like pearls. Sabudana also termed as sago, rabia, saksak and sagu in various parts of the world. It is an edible starch, which is extracted from the the spongy centre of the tropical palm trees. It can also be extracted from cassava roots and is called tapioca pearls. Sabudana is mostly carbohydrate and little protein or mineral.
• Sweetener : A pudding needs to be sweet. Hence this kheer needs a sweetner. I have used sugar in my recipe, some people use jaggery too.
• Milk : Pudding is milk based product. To make nice rich tasty pudding / kheer, full fat milk is required in the recipe.

Vegan Sabudana kheer?

Absolutely! Why not? If you are looking to make this kheer vegan, you can do it easily by using coconut or almond milk instead of normal milk. I make normal kheer usually, as my kids love normal milk. You can make vegan kheer by using appropriate milk and you may not notice much difference in taste.

Method of making Sabudana Kheer

• Wash and Soak the sabudana seeds in little water for 4-5 hours.
• Take milk in  a thick bottomed pan and put it for boil.

• After first boil add sabudana seeds to it and cover the lid and simmer the flame. Cook it for 15 minutes over slow flame and stir in between. Now add sugar and cardamom powder and cook for 8-10 minutes.

• Switch off the flame and add nuts and raisins.

• Serve this kheer hot or cold 🙂

Pro Tips for best sabudana kheer

• This kheer becomes thick after cooling, so take care of your desired consistency when cooking. If required, top up with additional milk and re-heat.
• Use a thick bottom and wide mouth pan. Use low heat with constant stirring to avoid milk getting stuck to the pan.
• If wishing to use saffron, add saffron in warm milk. Saffron will give nice flavour and color to the kheer.
• Soaking sabudana is not a must have, but if you soak it, it will reduce the cooking time.
• You may use dates to sweeten this kheer. However, if using dates, do not heat / cook once date has been added.

Storage and serving suggestion

Once the kheer gets to room temperature, you can keep it refrigerated for couple of days.

Some people like this kheer hot, others prefer it cold. You can serve it as dessert, either hot or cold as per your convenience.

This Sabudana Kheer

• Is ideal food while hindu fasting, Navratri, etc
• Is a great dessert, which can be made with minimal fuss.
• Super easy to make.
• Is gluten-free

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