Sri:
My family loves javvarisi upma with peanut powder. I make it on Ekadasi days for dinner. I read through several blog posts and used to make it, but the result was not consistent. The tapioca pearls would sometime stick together and ruin the texture of the upma. Nevertheless, my family always loved it. Last Ekadasi, it dawned on me that my neighbour and friend, SJ, is a Marathi. Sabudaana kitchadi is so famous in Marathi cuisine, why did I not think of asking her about it. So, I asked and she gave me the tips for soaking. Thanks to SJ for this wonderful recipe. Now you can also make sabudaana kitchadi successfully.
Previously, I used to soak the tapioca pearls in a lot of water overnight. Then, I would drain it the next morning and let it sit on the counter the entire day and then make kitchadi with it in the evening. It was a hit or miss.
SJ pointed out that the pearls have too much moisture and that was the reason for the stickiness. She gave me two ways.
1. Rinse the sabudaana well in running water and let the powdery stuff wash away. Then, soak the pearls such that, only half a cm of water is above the pearls. Leave it like this overnight or 7-8 hours. When you are ready to cook, fluff the sabudaana with your hands. All the water should've been absorbed.
2. This method was used by SJ's mom - wash the sabudaana in running water well, then, just drain all of the water and let it sit overnight or 7-8 hours. The water that is absorbed by the pearls while rinsing is sufficient for it to soak and soften.
Today, I used method 1 above. I rinsed the pearls well in water last night, drained all the water. Then, I added just enough water to the pearls such that only a finger tip of water was above the pearls. I let it sit.
When I checked this morning, all of the water was absorbed and the tapioca pearls were quite soft.
Now to the process:
Ingredients:
2 cups Sabudaana / Javvarisi / Tapioca pearls, soaked as described above.
1/2 cup raw peanuts.
2 green chillies, chopped fine or slit in halves - adjust as needed
1 tbsp cumin (for seasoning)
1 tbsp salt - adjust as needed.
2 tbsp cooking oil of your choice - I used Sesame oil.
1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
Other seasoning: curry leaves, hing (optional)
Dry roast the peanuts on the pan. Once roasted well, remove from the heat, let it cool, optionally remove the skin and grind to a coarse powder.
In a thick bottom pan, add some oil for seasoning. When it heats up, add the cumin, when it sizzles, add the green chillies, and other seasoning (curry leaves, hing etc).
Saute for a few seconds and add the tapioca pearls, salt and the peanut powder. Optionally, add some turmeric powder. Mix them all together with the seasoning. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water over the pearls. Then close the pan with a lid and reduce the heat. In about 5-10 minutes, open the lid, stir and see if it is done. The kitchadi is done when most of the pearls turn translucent. White opaque pearls are an indication that they are not cooked yet. Cover and cook until done.
Offer to Krishna and enjoy!
My family loves javvarisi upma with peanut powder. I make it on Ekadasi days for dinner. I read through several blog posts and used to make it, but the result was not consistent. The tapioca pearls would sometime stick together and ruin the texture of the upma. Nevertheless, my family always loved it. Last Ekadasi, it dawned on me that my neighbour and friend, SJ, is a Marathi. Sabudaana kitchadi is so famous in Marathi cuisine, why did I not think of asking her about it. So, I asked and she gave me the tips for soaking. Thanks to SJ for this wonderful recipe. Now you can also make sabudaana kitchadi successfully.
Previously, I used to soak the tapioca pearls in a lot of water overnight. Then, I would drain it the next morning and let it sit on the counter the entire day and then make kitchadi with it in the evening. It was a hit or miss.
SJ pointed out that the pearls have too much moisture and that was the reason for the stickiness. She gave me two ways.
1. Rinse the sabudaana well in running water and let the powdery stuff wash away. Then, soak the pearls such that, only half a cm of water is above the pearls. Leave it like this overnight or 7-8 hours. When you are ready to cook, fluff the sabudaana with your hands. All the water should've been absorbed.
2. This method was used by SJ's mom - wash the sabudaana in running water well, then, just drain all of the water and let it sit overnight or 7-8 hours. The water that is absorbed by the pearls while rinsing is sufficient for it to soak and soften.
Today, I used method 1 above. I rinsed the pearls well in water last night, drained all the water. Then, I added just enough water to the pearls such that only a finger tip of water was above the pearls. I let it sit.
When I checked this morning, all of the water was absorbed and the tapioca pearls were quite soft.
Now to the process:
Ingredients:
2 cups Sabudaana / Javvarisi / Tapioca pearls, soaked as described above.
1/2 cup raw peanuts.
2 green chillies, chopped fine or slit in halves - adjust as needed
1 tbsp cumin (for seasoning)
1 tbsp salt - adjust as needed.
2 tbsp cooking oil of your choice - I used Sesame oil.
1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
Other seasoning: curry leaves, hing (optional)
Dry roast the peanuts on the pan. Once roasted well, remove from the heat, let it cool, optionally remove the skin and grind to a coarse powder.
In a thick bottom pan, add some oil for seasoning. When it heats up, add the cumin, when it sizzles, add the green chillies, and other seasoning (curry leaves, hing etc).
Saute for a few seconds and add the tapioca pearls, salt and the peanut powder. Optionally, add some turmeric powder. Mix them all together with the seasoning. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water over the pearls. Then close the pan with a lid and reduce the heat. In about 5-10 minutes, open the lid, stir and see if it is done. The kitchadi is done when most of the pearls turn translucent. White opaque pearls are an indication that they are not cooked yet. Cover and cook until done.
Offer to Krishna and enjoy!
