Mumbai Food: Maharashtrian chefs share their favourite sabudana recipes

Sabudana khichdi will always be a staple in Maharashtrian homes, but little did we know that it could play a part in mending the political situation of the state. In a recent interview, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chuckled and mentioned that what sealed the deal between BJP and the Shiv Sena was the sabudana khichdi and vada served by Uddhav Thackeray's wife during his visit to the latter's residence. Taking off on that cue, we asked some of the city's Maharashtrian chefs to share their favourite sabudana recipe.

Sabudana thalipeeth
Aparna Surte, home chef and food stylist at Peckish Mumbai
"My mother, Sanjeevani, makes sabudana thalipeeth mainly on Ashadhi Ekadashi, Kartiki Ekadashi and Mahashivratri. It's a good way to use up leftover bhagar that is made from varayee tandul," says home chef Aparna Surte. Unlike the regular thalipeeth, this version is made with potatoes, soaked sago and Rajgira flour (or leftover bhaajani). Add spices and peanuts to the mix and make small thalipeeth out of them. Surte suggests that you eat them hot with loni (white butter) or curd.

Sabudana kheer
Chef Subhash Shirke, Corporate Chef, Neighbourhood Hospitality
At chef Subhash Shirke's house, savoury sabudana is not the first option and that is why during the fasting days, his mom whips up this sweet version of it using fresh coconut milk. Shirke says, "My oldest memory of relishing this meal is when we used to fast as kids during Gauri Ganpati/Gokulashtami, and us getting really excited about having bowlfuls of Sabudana Kheer that day." The cooking time for the kheer takes not more than 10 minutes but Shirke says that pre-soaking the sago overnight and frying it over ghee elevates the flavours. You could toast a few dry fruits and add them to the kheer to make it rich in nutrition.

Sago pakoda kadhi
Chef Dinesh Shinde of Aromas Cafe
"Sabudana is extremely low in fat but also low in protein. As it's just starch, it fits perfectly well into the schedule when fasting, so as to keep the energy levels up and feel fuller for longer," says chef Dinesh Shinde. His go-to recipe for the fasting season is the Sabudana kadhi, where the mix for the curry is made using amaranth flour instead of chickpeas. To make the pakodas, one can use spiced sabudana mixture and deep fry. The hot curry and crispy pakoras make this a perfect winter recipe, too.

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