Breakfast sago pilaf (sabudana khichadi)

This light, textural dish is often served as a fasting meal in the Indian province of Maharashtra. It’s not hard to make, but you must use sago imported from India, which is processed differently to regular sago and comes in slightly larger, and whiter, “pearls”. Don't cook the sago over too high a heat or it will turn gummy in the pan, and make sure it is perfectly dry before you cook it.

Credit: China Squirrel

• serves

  2-4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 400 g (2 cups) Indian sago (see Note)
• 400 g desiree potatoes, peeled and halved
• 60 ml (¼ cup) ghee
• 2½ tsp cumin seeds
• 105 g (⅔ cup) coarsely chopped peanuts
• Handful curry leaves
• ⅛ tsp asafoetida
• 3 long green chillies, seeds removed and chopped
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2½ tbsp lime juice
• Coriander leaves, to serve

Soaking time 2 hours

Instructions

Combine the sago with 500 ml (2 cups) water in a bowl then stand for 1-2 hours or until the sago has absorbed all the water and is quite dry.

Meanwhile, cook the potato in boiling, salted water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well, cool then cut into 1cm pieces.

Heat the ghee in a large, non stick frying pan over medium then add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the peanuts and curry leaves, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, tossing the pan often, for 3 minutes or until peanuts are golden. Add potatoes, asafoetida, chilli, ginger and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the sago, sugar and lime juice then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the sago is soft and translucent, you may need to add more water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Cover and stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Note

• You can buy sago imported from India from Indian supermarkets; it is labelled ‘sago pith (seeds)’.

Photography, styling and food preparation by china squirrel.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.