Sabudana / Sago Upma

A simple Sabudana and potato combo preparation, which is light on the stomach. These sago pearls are commonly used as a fast time food in northern India.

Ingredients

1 cup - Sago / Sabudana
1 big - Boiled potato, cubed

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Urad dal
1/2 tsp - Jeera seeds
2 - Whole dry red chili
1 sprig - Curry leaves
4 to 5 big - Shallots, diced
1/4 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Wash and soak sago in enough water to cover sago. Soak sago overnight. Drain water from sago and set aside.

2 ) In a kadai heat oil, add mustard seeds, pop it, add jeera, urad dal, dry red chili and fry in oil. Add curry leaves, shallots and fry shallots to light brown. Add red chili and turmeric powder, for a second, add potato and mix and stir. Add salt to taste.

3 ) Now lower the heat to very low heat, this is very important step to make to get a non- soggy sago. Now when the pan is not very hot, add sago, stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes covered with a lid. Sago will cook fast. Otherwise place sago in a microwave safe bowl, add the seasoning potato mixture to the sago and mix in well. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking the cooking time 1 minute each. Cook till sago is translucent.

Serve for breakfast.

Purnima suggests a variation to this recipe and also to get a non soggy sago in the end, which she learned from Shilpa of Aayi's Recipes - "Pravs, we call it sabudana Khichidi (in mumbai lingo) I make this quite often on gas top with a variation, soak time -30 mins, drain in colander, cover colander with tight fitting lid, leave overnight, fluff with a fork or hand, add fistfull of roasted crushed peanuts, salt n sugar to sago stir with hands, then same process - the sago grains don't stick to each other that way". - Thanks to Purnima & Shilpa.

To microwave potato : Wash one potato. Pierce deep into the potato two times, down to the center. Wrap the potato in a moist paper towel. Place in microwave and microwave for 3 minutes.