Healthy Sabudana payasam is a delicious concoction made of tapioca pearls, milk and dates and flavored with cardamom and saffron, topped with roasted cashews and raisins. A simple and divine pudding which is quick and easy to make if the tapioca pearls are presoaked. A complete vegetarian, gluten-free pudding.
Sabudana also known as sago pearls or tapioca pearls are very bland taste by itself, can be versatile and adapts to any taste.
In India, sabudhana is mostly eaten during fast or vrat as we popularly call them, however, the delicacies made during vrats are absolutely irresistible that one without fasting to feels like eating them even on general days. We usually prepare Sabudana Khichdi often for breakfast or light supper. Apart from Sabudana khichdi we make Sabudana payasam and relish it as is or along with piping hot poori.
This variation of Sabudana payasam or Sabudana Kheer or Sago Kheer is sugar free and delicious and very easy to make. My kiddo loved this dessert. So I can proudly say this a TODDLER APPROVED DESSERT. And I made this on the occasion of Lord shri Krishna Janmashtami.
What is Sabudana?
Sabudana is made of the starch that is extracted from tapioca roots, which is then processed to form spherical pearls that may vary in size. According to experts, tapioca is not rich in nutrients, it is a good source of carbohydrates, and probably this is the reason why it is included as part of fasting diet and festive food (vrat ka khana). In India, it is used in a variety of dishes such as desserts boiled with sweetened milk on occasion of religious fasts. And “Tapioca Sago” is considered an acceptable form of nutrition during periods of fasts for religious purposes or for infants or ill persons.
How to make this Healthy sabudana payasam ?
- Soak the Sabudana – Wash the sabudhana pearls until water turns clear and all the excess starch is removed. This step helps in reducing the stickiness. Soak the sabudhana with 1:1 ratio overnight or up-to 1 hour.
- Soak the dates – Bring a cup of milk to boil and turn off the heat, chop the dates and add it to the boiled milk, cover it and let it soak for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Blend the dates – When dates have softened enough, blend them to a smooth paste and keep aside.
- Making the kheer – In a saucepan bring 2 cups of water to boil, add soaked sabudhana and let it cook until they turn translucent, then add in milk and let it thicken, finally add the dates puree and serve warm or chilled topped with fried nuts and raisins.
Tips to make perfect Sabudana Payasam
- Soaking the tapioca pearls before making kheer is an important step, so do not skip it.
- I always wash the Sabudana pearls thoroughly in a colander until the water runs clear and soak them in 1:1 ratio of Sabudana:Water overnight or for at least 1 hour.
- This kheer has a tendency to thicken as it cools. So you can add more warm/chilled milk to adjust the consistency before serving.
Is Sabudana Dates Payasam VEGAN ?
This is a vegetarian, naturally sweetened and gluten-free pudding, but this can be completely made as VEGAN by replacing the whole milk with Plant based milk like Almond milk/Soy milk/Oat milk and also dry roast or use plant based butter to roast the nuts.
What if I don’t have DATES ?
Well, you can replace the dates with Dates syrup if you have it handy, else you can use Palm Jaggery/Coconut sugar/Date palm Jaggery/Maple syrup if you’re looking for refined sugar free and healthy options. And Use sugar for the regular Sabudana Payasam.
Where have I learnt this recipe ?
I have learnt the authentic Sabudana payasam from my Mom, but I have replaced the sugar with dates puree to make it healthy and delicious keeping my kid in my mind.
To make the authentic SABUDANA PAYASAM use the same method as stated below just skip the dates puree and use sugar instead.
How to make this HEALTHY SABUDANA PAYASAM in Instant Pot
Whenever you’re in a hurry this Instant pot version comes to the rescue.
- Always remember to rinse and wash the sabudhana pearls to get rid of excess starch. Use a colander and rinse them 2-3 times under running water until the water runs clear.
- Now add the sabudhana pearls in to the instant pot inner pot along with water and soak for about 30 minutes. Then after the soaking time is done, set the instant pot on saute mode and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then press cancel.
- Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and once done manually release the pressure and add Dates puree and mix well.
- Serve warm/chilled as per your liking. And we love it chilled!!
You can also make this in regular Indian style pressure cooker, pressure cook the soaked sabudhana with milk and water for 2 whistles on high and then simmer the heat to low. Later add the dates puree and serve warm/chilled.
Now let’s get it into the process. Before that also check out these divine desserts.
HEALTHY SABUDANA PAYASAM
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sabudana / Tapioca pearls
- 1 cup Whole milk / Full fat milk
- 10 Medjool dates
- 10 Raisins
- 10 Cashews
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
Soaking the Sabudana/Tapioca pearls and Dates
- Wash the sabudhana pearls in a colander until water turns clear and all the excess starch is removed.
- Soak the sabudhana with 1:1 ratio overnight or up-to 1 hour.
- Bring a cup of milk to boil and turn off the heat, chop the dates and add it to the boiled milk, cover it and let it soak for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Now blend the soaked dates to a fine paste and keep aside.
Making of Sabudana payasam in Instant pot
- Add the soaked sabudhana pearls in to the instant pot inner pot along with water, set the instant pot on saute mode and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then press cancel.
- Add milk, saffron strands and Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and once done manually release the pressure and turn on saute mode and simmer until the milk is thickened.
- Now add Dates puree and mix well. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
- Roast some nuts and raisins in a pan and add it to the simmered payasam.
- Serve warm/chilled as per your liking. And we love it chilled!!
Making of Sabudana payasam on stovetop
- In a saucepan bring 2 cups of water to boil, add soaked sabudhana and let it cook until they turn translucent.
- Now add in milk, saffron strands and let it thicken on medium flame, this may take around 10 minutes.
- Add in dates puree and give it a good mix.
- Lower the flame and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- In a frying pan add ghee and roast cashews and raisins and roast until raisins puff up and cashews turn golden brown.
- Add the roasted nuts and raisins to the simmered payasam and serve warm/chilled.
Notes
- Soaking the tapioca pearls before making payasam/kheer is an important step, so do not skip it.
- I always wash the Sabudana pearls thoroughly in a fine colander until the water runs clear and soak them in 1:1 ratio of Sabudana:Water overnight or for at least 1 hour.
- This kheer has a tendency to thicken as it cools. So you can add more warm/chilled milk to adjust the consistency before serving.
- You can also make this in regular Indian style pressure cooker, pressure cook the soaked sabudhana with milk and water for 2 whistles on high and then simmer the heat to low. Later add the dates puree and serve warm/chilled.
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