Sabudana Vada

This blog has been a long time in completion...started it end of 2014...got busy...decided to give it a fresh start on the first day of new year 2015...events happened...
Finally back onto it ...after going a whole week into the new year...

Ok...so though I am way too late ...let me wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year...and that you get all that you desire in your lives...

So how did this vada post start ...well we had a visit from my dear friend's daughter...she was visiting India with her husband for the first time after their wedding....and so I decided to invite them over...a tea party was planned for on Christmas day...
Since it was Christmas ....cake had to be a part of the menu... made my favourite Date & Walnut cake...I know, I know, it should have been plum cake for the occasion...but never mind ...this is just as good ....also made some coconut ladoos, and some methi puri as snacks...but was wondering what should be the warm snack served to them...( btw they were coming along with her in-laws as they were stopping by on their way from some family lunch )...

Decided on sabudana vada ( having enjoyed some made by my sister a few day earlier...thought that would be a good snack to serve )...so got cracking on the recipe...

First of all let me say sorry...I have not got any pictures of the vadas or the process...and that is cuz I somehow did not plan or rather think of posting it...silly me :-( 

Had made it some long time ago - so refreshed my memory with the internet...checked out a few different methods...got the necessary ingredients...and voila...a quick and tasty snack...

Sabudana khichdi in a Microwave

Sabudana Khichdi

Microwave is one of the most marvellous inventions of the last century....and I am sure many would agree with me....though there are a few naysayers...and they may have a valid point with regards to the rays of that machine....but boy it does make life soooo much easier...

Take the above mentioned dish...I used to prepare sabudana khichdi on the stove top - but had it turn to mush many a times...and then I discovered this recipe...and thought..duh!?! ...how could I have missed this...this dish is meant for the micro - where every pearl needs to be separate...and yet thoroughly cooked...what better method is available...

I had my own recipe for cooking this dish - but when I read the microwave version on  One stove top's site...I found it so perfect...that I appropriated that for my own and now that is my standard recipe with a minor changes. I find it a bit dry - so add a couple of tablespoons of water while cooking it. I have also reduced the peanuts...though these are just to my taste...you may add more peanuts, chillies, coconut, dhania(cilantro), salt & sugar as per your taste.

The past few days the weather has been kind of chilly, so one feels the need to relish a nice hot breakfast...and T has been out of town the whole week...(missing you sweetie)....so decided that I could make this and share it with my Mom who also loves having something different for her breakfast / mid morning snack.

Sabudana Kheer / Sago Pudding

Sabudana Kheer

Normally on the 1st of Jan - as a sort of celebration (New Year Day ! )  I make something sweet - or at least have been doing so for past some years now.

During a chat about what we had the previous year, and what we should make for this year, Mom came up with kheer ( which is like a sort of pudding - but without the egg )....and I got to thinking. Years ago, one of Mom's favourite kheer was the sabudana kheer...which like so many of her regular dishes was sort of forgotten as we discovered & adopted new recipes from others around. So thought let me surprise her with this kheer this year.

So as always trolling the net ( get a lot of ideas from there ) - and having some idea of how Mom used to prepare it - and having  had a fair bit of idea myself from all the different kheers that I have since prepared ...and thus armed with all the gathered intel...went about making it...
It was an eye opener - I had totally forgotten how amazing this kheer turns out - so smooth - so melt in the mouth...it can be had hot or cold ( though I prefer it cold, it becomes better the longer you keep it - say the next day... ) - the starch in the sago (sabudana) makes it yummy - that you just cannot stop at one bowl. It is like a comfort food...like a good soup...or chocolate - you get a long and lasting pleasure when you have it...

Nyways - so back to present day...why did I go down memory lane...cause we were expecting my hubby's friend to come over for lunch - and while planning the menu, and since he has a sweet tooth - decided to make this kheer (since it had been bought back to our notice this year)....
So within a span of a month I was back to boiling and reducing the milk, soaking the sabudana, frying the cashew & raisins, crushing the cardamoms....and this time managed to get a few pictures taken...so that this blog could be complete...with text & the pictorials..