Vegetable Sabudana Pulao

Ingredients

• Sabudana – 1 cup
• Water – about ¾ cup for soaking
• Carrot – ½ cup, small dice
• Green peas – ½ cup
• Potato – 1 small, diced
• Capsicum – ¼ cup, diced, optional
• Roasted peanuts – ¼ cup, coarsely ground
• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Green chilli – 1
• Curry leaves – 8 to 10
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Coriander – 2 tbsp
• Salt – as needed
• Oil or ghee – 1½ tbsp

Method

1. Rinse and soak sabudana 4 to 6 hours with just enough water to soften it. A ready pearl should mash easily without a hard core.
2. Drain for 10 minutes and toss the pearls gently with the peanut powder and salt.
3. Heat oil or ghee in a wide pan. Add cumin, green chilli and curry leaves.
4. Add potato and carrot and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Add peas and optional capsicum and cook until just tender; sprinkle a tablespoon of water only if required.
5. Reduce to low heat and add the sabudana-peanut mixture.
6. Fold gently every 30 to 40 seconds for about 4 to 6 minutes until the pearls are glossy and tender while the vegetables remain distinct.
7. Switch off as soon as the sabudana is cooked; prolonged cooking makes it sticky.
8. Finish with lemon and coriander. Serve hot as an everyday light meal rather than a strict fasting khichdi.