Why sabudana is the no 1 fast food?

Sabudana forms an integral part of the vrat ka khana almost all over India. They are converted into various delicacies both savoury and sweet and very much enjoyed by all. Let's see why and how did this fasting food become a star!

Making of sabudana

Sabudana is not grown, instead starch is extracted from sago palm stems or cassava plant. The roots of these plants are crushed and the juice is then made into paste. The juices are then granulated by being forced through sieves and eventually acquire a spherical form as they fall into a shallow iron plate, which held over a fire. Many a times, they are polished for the white and shiny texture. In India sabudana is produced by small-scale industries. Now you know what your fasting food is like!

Why is sabudana a fasting food? 

Being a light snack and quick energy booster, sabudana makes an ideal breakfast option throughout the year. A pure starchy product and full of carbohydrates, sabudana neither contains minerals nor vitamins. It is for this reason that sabudana is never consumed just by itself. It is either made into savory dishes or consumed with milk. Moreover, you can make up for other nutrients by adding spices, vegetables or dry fruits to your preparations. Soft and chewy in texture, these tiny white balls give an instant source of energy which is much-needed during fast. In fact, after a day long fast, consumption of sabudana in any form whether soups, khichdi, kheer or smoothies results in easy digestion.

Know all about the king of fast food

• Did you know yellowish sabudana pearls are considered to be sweet and pure? It is a myth that white sabudana is pure and hygienic.
• Sabudana is a starch and starch with water can be tricky! For perfect and fluffy sabudana, it is important to hydrate them in right amount of water. Note, not to over soak the mas that might make them spongy and paste-like texture.
• These white granules are heat-sensitive. If you try to fry them directly in oil or ghee, they will turn into sticky and gluey mass.
• Combine sabudana with milk as milk takes these pearly grains very well! In fact, they can absorb quite a lot of milk. Or after draining water from sabudana, grind them with salt till smooth and make yummy dosas or pancakes out of it. Moreover, you can flavour them with various other spices to get a perfect fasting recipe.

Gorge on a simple ingredient 

Cook up variety of dishes with sabudana. Common being sabudana khichdi, kheer, payasams, chips, papad, vadas, you can also try out sabudana puddings, smoothies, soups. Sweet potato and sago rolls make a perfect fasting recipe. Also, prepare well in advance, chaklis and chivda, which you can bite into whenever hungry. Sabudana thalipeeth can be made with sabudana flour combined with other flours like millet or ragi. Check out SanjeevKapoor.com or sanjeevkapoorkhazana on YouTube for more fasting recipes from sabudana.  

Recommended recipes - Sabudana Laddoo,  Jain Sabudana Vada,  Sitaphal and Sabudana Kheer,  Sabudana Aur Aloo Ki Tikki,  Spicy Sabudana Khichdi,  Sabudana Halwa,  Sabudana Vada,  Sago Potato Rolls,  Mini Sabudana Thalipeeth,  Kachche Kele aur Sabudane ke Cutlets.