Rinse the sabudana using a strainer until the water runs clear. Doing this helps get rid of the starch which is what makes sabudana clumpy. Don't skip it!
Soak the sabudana in water for at least 4 – 6 hours. You need just enough water to cover the sabudana completely. Use about 3/4 cup water for every 1 cup of sabudana.
After the soaking period is over, the sabudana should be soft and crumbly when you press it. If it is not soft enough leave it for a few more hours.
Also, all the water should have been absorbed. If the sabudana hasn't absorbed all the water, drain the excess water.
In a hot wok or non-stick kadhai kept over medium heat, add oil. When the oil heats up, add cumin seeds.
Once the cumin seeds start sizzling, add curry leaves, and chopped green chilies. Let them fry for about 15-20 seconds.
Add the potatoes and salt. Mix well. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes. Stir once during the cooking process.
Carefully remove the lid while making sure the water droplets from the lid don't fall in the wok.
Add peanuts to the potato mixture and fry them for about 2 minutes.
Add sabudana and fold it in. Allow it cook for about 2 minutes stirring not more than once or twice.
Once most of the sabudana or tapioca pearls turn translucent switch off the heat.
Garnish with cilantro and serve it with a bowl of sweetened yogurt.
You can use crushed roasted peanuts instead of the whole peanuts. The peanuts or ground nuts with skin are more nutritious - that's why I prefer them. If using crushed roasted peanuts, add them along with the sabudana.
Add a pinch of turmeric to give this khichdi a yellowish hue.
Garnish with grated coconut.
The style of cooking I followed in this recipe is Maharashtrian and that's why you'll see curry leaves in this recipe - feel free to skip it.
Serving suggestions
You can serve it as is or savor it with sweetened yogurt.
Tips to make non-sticky Sabudana Khichadi
Don't forget to rinse the sabudana until the water runs clear.
To add a unique flavor to the dish, use leftover whey from making shrikhand or Greek yogurt to soak it.
While adding potatoes, cut them into small cubes so they cook quickly.
Cover the potatoes while they are cooking to fasten the cooking process. Water makes sabudana clumpy so while removing the lid make sure that the water droplets from the lid do not fall in the pan.
While cooking, avoid over-stirring as it can alter the texture of the sabudana making it clumpy.