NG's Recipes 16 - Tapioca Pearl Medley (Sabu Dana)

Tapioca is one multi-purpose plant. This frail innocuous looking plant gives more than four to five different kinds of food items to us humans. All of them from its roots. Whatever the plant lacks in it's external appearance makes up for it with the size and girth of its roots.

Tapioca is a very popular dish from where I come in India. Which is the southern most tip of India. However the dish i am going to share with you is a dish that is more popular in the western and the northern provinces of India. In India Tapioca Pearls are known as Sabu Dana.

Tapioca starch is an excellent source of calcium and iron. It is also naturally gluten free. And the best part it goes with almost anything. It's naturally healthy and can be tasty too!

Lets take a look at the Ingredients

1 Cup Tapioca Pearls
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Green Chilli
1 Potato
1 Carrot
1/2 cup Peas
1/2 cup French Beans
1 Onion finely chopped.
1/4 Cup Peanuts.
1 tbsp Cooking oil / Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar - Optional
Red Chilli powder to taste - Optional
Coriander leaves - Optional
1 tsp Lemon Juice

The Recipe

Soak the tapioca pearls overnight in water. The water level should be just above the level of the tapioca pearls.

Check the tapioca in the morning. They should be soft and easy to smash but they should NOT be wet. If they are wet leave them for another hour or so.

In case they NOT soft enough and the centre of the pearl is still tough to smash then sprinkle some water and leave them for an hour.

In case the peanuts are already fried and de-skinned, simply ground them a bit with a manual grinder. You can also put them in the mixer but do note you want broken pieces of peanuts NOT powdered peanuts.

If the peanuts are raw. You will need to fry them till they are done and then de-skin them.

Cut the potato into small pieces and microwave them for three minutes.

Heat a pan with a spoon of cooking oil or ghee.

Put the cumin seeds till they start crackling

Add the chilli powder.

Add the chopped green chilli.

Add the chopped onions and fry till they are golden brown.

Add the vegetables. Mix well.

Add the broken peanuts to the mixture and mix well.

Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Gently sauté them. Set aside.

Heat a large pan and add the tapioca and gently sauté them.

Put a lid on the pan and let it cook till they are nice and soft.

Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Add the vegetables to the mixture.

Add sugar to balance if needed.

Switch off the flame/ stove

Add a dash of lemon Juice for taste.

Serve in a nice plate. Garnish with coriander leaves.

And your Sautéed Tapioca Pearl hotpot is ready. This is an excellent dish both with respect to nutrition and taste. One can also add non-veg items to this. However in my experience with the exception of scrambled eggs, in my experience other non-veg items don't come out well in this perpetration.

Hope you liked our recipe. If you need any info on Indian dishes do feel free to reach out to us in the comments section. We will try and share the same with you.

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Yenjoy!