Tangy Tapioca aka Sabudana Khichdi

Ingredients :

1 cup Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls)
1 medium sized potato, diced
3/4 cup roasted ground peanuts
(you can use broken peanuts also)
1 Jalapeno (or 2 green chilies)
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
3/4 cup Pomegranate Seeds  
Cilantro, few sprigs - finely chopped
1 tbsp Sugar
Oil 2 tbsp
Salt & Pepper to taste









Directions :

1) Wash sabudana under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak sabudana in 3/4 cup of water. In principle you want to soak one cup sabudana in one cup water, but since the pearls retain some water from the wash we add only 3/4 cup of water. Keep the soaked sabudana in a wide mouthed vessel for at least 4-5 hours (you could leave it overnight).

2) Heat oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add jalapenos and saute for 15-20 seconds.

3) Add cubed potatoes and sprinkle some salt  ( we will add salt to sabudana separately, so here add salt just enough for the potatoes). Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook until the potatoes are done. I like my potatoes crispy and brown so I always use a wide pan that allows for the potatoes to sit on a single layer.

4) In a bowl take sabudana, add crushed peanut, salt , pepper and sugar. Mix well. Add this mixture to the potatoes. Set stove to medium-low heat, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

5) Remove the lid and cook for another 4-5 minutes without the lid. Make sure you stir every minute, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

6) Sprinkle just a few drops of water if you think the sabudana is drying out. Cover and cook for 1 minute. You'll know that the sago pearls are cooked if they turn slightly translucent. When overcooked, sabudana becomes completely translucent, soft and mushy and often tends to stick together into clumps.

Your tangy Tapioca aka sabudana khichadi is ready. Garnish with cilantro and top with pomegranate seeds. Serve hot !