Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
What you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp ghee/coconut oil if vegan
- 1/2 cup sago balls (I got these at my local Indian store)
- 3 cups water
- 1.5 cups coconut milk* (my recipes are dairy-free; however if you consume dairy and you’re going for the traditional taste, you can use regular whole milk here)
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar/regular sugar
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp cashew nuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp raisins (optional)
What you’ll want to do:
- Add the ghee/coconut oil to a pan and fry the cashews and raisins
- Remove once golden brown and place them aside
- Fry the sago in the same pan until they start turning brown
- Top with the water and boil until the sago balls are translucent and soft, indicating that they are cooked
- Add the milk/coconut milk to this (you can add more than recommended if you’d like a different consistency)
- Add the coconut sugar (again, add more if you’d like it to be sweeter)
- Continue boiling for another 10 minutes on medium flame
- Finally, add the cardamom powder and fried nuts
- Serve hot, or after cooling in the fridge for a few hours
Recipe Musings: Sabudhana Payasam was the default sweet that my mom would make for almost every Indian festival. It’s quick, calls for only a few basic ingredients, and incredibly tasty. This version with coconut milk is undoubtedly different from the traditional taste, but the thicker consistency gives it a very pudding-like texture. It’s definitely a twist on the classic, but I highly recommend.