Whether you are making Sabudana Kheer for a special occasion, vrat, or simply to satisfy a sweet craving, this creamy Indian dessert is sure to win hearts.
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Sabudana kheer is more than just a dessert; it’s a bowl of sweet nostalgia and comfort. This Indian pudding, made from tapioca pearls (sabudana), and milk, is not only incredibly delicious but also a staple during Hindu fasts (vrat) like Navratri and Shivratri.
While rice kheer is a classic, the creamy, pearl-like texture of sabudana kheer makes it a unique and delightful treat.
What is Sabudana (Sago)?
Sabudana or sago is a starch that’s extracted from the soft core of tapioca and other tropical palms. Tapioca pearls are often consumed in tropical regions and India for their ability to keep one full and to provide instant energy. When cooked, these small, opaque pearls become soft, translucent, and gelatinous, creating a pudding-like consistency.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sabudana (tapioca pearls) from medium to large size. You can use them to make sabudana khichdi or vada.
- Full Fat Milk is the best to make any type of Indian sweets and desserts.
- Cardamom Powder and Saffron for the colour, aroma, and flavour.
- Mixed Nuts (almond, pistachio, cashew) chopped
- Ghee to fry the nuts.
How To Make Sabudana Kheer
1) Prep Sabudana:
- Rinse the sabudana pearls 2 times in water to remove excess starch.
- Soak them in enough water to submerge for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight. This is the most crucial step! Soaking ensures the sabudana pearls cook evenly and become soft without clumping.
- Later, transfer soaked sabudana to a colander. Rinse thoroughly with running water to get rid of all the starch. Let it sit on colander while the milk is simmering and all the water drains out.
2) Simmer Milk:
- Bring the milk to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Add cardamom powder, and half of soaked saffron.
- Simmer the milk over lowest heat setting, stirring regularly to prevent from burning.
- After 15 minutes or so, the milk will start thickening, forming a layer of cream (rabdi), and turning pale yellow.
3) Add Sabudana
- Once milk is reduced almost to half of the original quanity, add rinsed sabudana pearls and stir to evenly combine. Continue to cook the kheer over low heat till sabudana pearls are cooked. This take 10 – 15 minutes.
- Once the kheer has reached a creamy consistency, add the sugar. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed.
4) Roast Nuts
- In a small pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee.
- Add the chopped nuts and roast them until they are lightly golden.
- Add the raisins and cook for another 30 seconds until they plump up.
Garnish the sabudana kheer with remaining soaked saffron and toasted nuts. You can serve the kheer warm or chilled. But sabudana kheer becomes creamier and delicious after a hour or so of cooking.
My Tried and True Tips
- Soak, Don’t Skip: Soaking is non-negotiable. It’s the key to soft, separate pearls. Without proper soaking, the sabudana will remain hard or turn into a lumpy mess.
- Get Rid of Starch: After soaking rinse the tapioca pearls with water to get rid of all the starch.
- The Right Milk: Full-fat milk is highly recommended. The higher fat content contributes to the kheer’s creamy, rich texture.
- A Heavy Bottom Pan: Using a heavy-bottomed pan is essential to prevent the kheer from scorching at the bottom.
- Stir, Stir, Stir: Don’t walk away from your sabudana kheer! Stirring continuously, especially after adding the milk, is important to prevent the sabudana from clumping and sticking.
- Patience is Key: Sabudana kheer thickens as it cools. If it seems a little runny on the stove, remember that it will set beautifully once it cools down. If it becomes too thick after cooling, you can add a little warm milk to adjust the consistency.
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Sabudana Kheer Recipe
Whether you are making Sabudana Kheer for festival, vrat, or to satisfy sweet craving, this creamy Indian dessert is sure to win hearts.
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Servings: 4 adults
Calories: 329kcal
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 1 litre full-cream milk (full fat milk)
- ½ Cup sago (sabudana or tapioca pearls) (medium to large)
- ¼ teaspoon saffron strands (soaked)
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- ¼ Cup raw sugar or jaggery powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tablespoon chopped almonds
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio
- 1 tablespoon chopped cashews
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins
Instructions
- Rinse the sabudana pearls 2 times in water to remove excess starch. Soak them in enough water to submerge for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight. This is the most crucial step! Soaking ensures the sabudana pearls cook evenly and become soft without clumping.
- Later, transfer soaked sabudana to a colander. Rinse thoroughly with running water to get rid of all the starch. Let it sit on colander while the milk is simmering and all the water drains out.
- Bring the milk to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add cardamom powder, and half of soaked saffron.
- Simmer the milk over lowest heat setting, stirring regularly to prevent from burning. After 15 minutes or so, the milk will start thickening, forming a layer of cream (rabdi), and turning pale yellow.
- Once milk is reduced almost to half of the original quanity, add rinsed sabudana pearls and stir to evenly combine. Continue to cook the kheer over low heat till sabudana pearls are cooked. This take 10 – 15 minutes.
- Once the kheer has reached a creamy consistency, add the sugar. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed.
- In a small pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee.Add the chopped nuts and roast them until they are lightly golden. Add the raisins and cook for another 30 seconds until they plump up.
- Garnish the sabudana kheer with remaining soaked saffron and toasted nuts. You can serve the kheer warm or chilled.
Recipe Notes:
- Flavour Variations: While cardamom and saffron are classic, you can experiment with other flavours. A drizzle of rose syrup, or a caramel can add a delightful twist. You can try my carrot sabudana kheer also.
- The secret to a perfect sabudana kheer lies in ensuring the pearls are cooked just right—not too mushy, but perfectly tender and chewy.
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 426IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 332mg | Iron: 1mg
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