What is Sabudana? How to make easy Sabudana recipes

For most of us sabudana has always been a vrat staple, but did you know what it is and how it is extracted. It is pretty surprising that sabudana has always been that much underrated food and there are several doubts and myths associated with its origin. Here’s a low down on this famous vrat food and how it is extracted from the palm tree.

Sabudana also known as Sago, saksak, rabia and sagu in various parts of the world is an edible starch extracted from the pith or the spongy centre of the tropical palm trees. Since ages, it has been a staple for people staying in the Tropical regions.

Of late, sago has been a fad among fitness enthusiasts for its amazing health benefits. In fact, it is enjoyed in various ways all around the world. Some prepare it as porridge, Khichdi, pancakes, rolls and fries. However, commercially sago is sold in the form of pearls, which makes it easy to cook. In fact, the extraction of sago pearl is a little different from the original sago starch, the pearls are extracted from cassava starch, which comes from the root of the tropical palm trees.

However, there are a lot of doubts and myths around the extraction of sago. It is mostly considered unhygienic in terms of its extraction process. Read on to know more about it!

Extracted from the Metroxylon palms by split opening the stem of the a short-unripened tropical tree and the pith is taken out from the stem in the form of a fibrous residue, which is later crushed and kneaded to release the starch and further grinded into a powdered form. This powder is kneaded in water over a cloth or sieve to release the starch. The water with the starch passes through the container where the starch settles down. This process is done after several times of washing and cleaning the pith extract. In fact, the settled starch extracts are further washed several times before it is used for cooking.

Each time sago is extracted a palm tree is uprooted and the trunk is cut and crushed into a saw dust. There are several ways of extraction of sago. The reason many people consider the traditional method of extraction hygiene is because the saw dust or the pith of the trunk is mixed with water and kneaded with hands. The tropical water is usually warm and this leads to the process of hydrolysis, which leads to the the breaking down of the starch molecules break down and turn small enough to pass through filters. This starchy water is collected in the trunk of the tree and is left open for as good as 24hours. Then this strachy water is released and what remains is a solid sedimentation of sago in a fibrous and sticky form, which is then extracted and kneaded through hands. Then this residue is grinded into a coarse powder form and left open in the sun to dry up and are further stored in a container made out of leaves of the palm trees. No wonder, these sago pearls are high on carbs as they are extracted from natural starch. But have you ever thought about its calorie quotient? Read on

Sago is a complete form of starch and is a pure form of carbs. However, it has a very low quantity of protein, fat, and fiber and lacks many vitamins and minerals. Around 100 grams of sago contains as good as 332 calories.What makes it healthy if it's gluten-free composition and is naturally a great source of light carbs. This is the reason this natural grain has always been a part of our religious fasts. Here are a few recipes you can prepare on fasts that too in a much delicious way.

Soak 1 cup sago in water for 5-6 hours. Drain and squeeze out the water well. Now add ½ cup paneer, 2 boiled and mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, chopped green chillies and coriander and sendha namak. You can also add grated ginger. Now mix well and make it into tikkis. Deep fry.

Soak one cup sabudana in 3 cups of water for 5-6 hours. Drain all the water away and mix roasted and roughly crushed peanuts (about half cup). Keep aside. In a pressure cooker, add 1 tablespoon ghee or oil of your choice. Add mustard seeds, chopped coconut, curry leaves, green chillies and 1 tsp ginger paste. Cook for two minutes. Add one chopped potato and rock salt and a pinch of turmeric and mix well. Now add the sago and ½ cup chopped coriander leaves and ¼ cup water and pressure cook for one whistle. Your Sabudana Khichdi is ready.

Soak 1/4cup sago in 2 cups of water for 5 hours. Boil 2 litres of milk in a pan. Add the sago in milk and cook on low flame till the mixture is reduced to more than half. Add cardamom powder and sugar to taste and remove from fire. Serve chilled.