Sabudana Khichdi

Ingredients

• 200g sabudana (tapioca pearls)
• 150ml water, for soaking
• 120g raw peanuts
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
• 1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak)
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh coconut, grated
• thick plain yogurt, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the sabudana in a sieve under cold running water three times, rubbing the pearls between your fingers until the water runs clear.
• Drain the pearls thoroughly and tip them into a bowl with just 150ml water, barely enough to cover them.
• Cover and soak for 5 hours or overnight, until a pearl crushes to powder between finger and thumb with no hard white centre left.
• Fluff the soaked pearls with a fork so they sit loose and separate.

Steps

1. Dry roast the peanuts in a pan over medium heat for 6 minutes, shaking often, until the skins darken and split.
2. Tip the peanuts onto a cloth, rub off the skins, and crush them coarsely in a mortar.
3. Stir two thirds of the crushed peanuts through the soaked sabudana with the rock salt and sugar, coating every pearl.
4. Heat the ghee in a wide non-stick pan over medium heat.
5. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
6. Add the curry leaves and chopped green chillies and fry for 20 seconds.
7. Add the diced potato and fry for 3 minutes until the edges catch a little colour.
8. Turn the heat to high and add the sabudana mixture all at once.
9. Toss and stir for 3 minutes only, until the pearls turn from chalky white to translucent.
10. Take the pan straight off the heat, because any longer and the pearls will glue themselves together.
11. Squeeze over the lemon juice and fold through the coriander, coconut and remaining peanuts with a fork.
12. Serve hot with a bowl of thick yogurt alongside.