Sabudana Kheer or Tapioca Pudding is a popular Indian dessert prepared using sabudana (sago), milk, sugar, and nuts during the fasting festival season.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 85 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sabudana (tapioca pearls)
  • 1 cup water (for soaking sabudana)
  • 3 cups whole milk ((or almond milk))
  • a pinch of saffron strands
  • 1/4 cup sugar ((or as needed))
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped nuts ((cashews, almonds, pistachios))
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 tablespoon ghee (for roasting nuts)

Method

  1. Rinse the sabudana in water 1-2 times and drain all the water.
  2. Soak the sabudana in 1 cup of water for 1 hour in a bowl.

Stovetop Method

  1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add chopped dry fruits like cashews, almonds, and pistachios, and roast them until they turn light golden. Then add raisins and fry them until they become plump. Remove the mixture from the pan and set it aside.
  2. Once the sabudana has soaked for 1 hour, drain and add them to the same pan and saute for a minute while stirring continously.
  3. Add the whole milk, give a quick stir, and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the milk simmer for around 10-15 minutes while stirring it occasionally to prevent the pearls from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The milk will begin to reduce, and the sabudana will soften and get cooked.
  4. Stir in the sugar, and saffron milk. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the kheer thickenes further, stir occasionally.
  5. Lastly, add the cardamom powder, roasted nuts. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Serve warm or chilled. Note: Sabudana kheer thickens as it cools down.

Instant Pot Method

  1. Clean the Instant Pot thoroughly – the steel pot, lid, and sealing ring. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it. Else, milk may curdle.
  2. Press Saute on the Instant pot, Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee, then add chopped dry fruits like cashews, almonds, and pistachios, and roast till it turns light golden. Then add raisins and fry till they turn plump. Remove and keep aside.
  3. Once the sabudana has soaked for 1 hour, drain and add them to the same pot and saute for a minute while stirring continously.
  4. Add the whole milk, and give a quick stir.
  5. Close the lid, and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (Low Pressure) and set the timer to 10 minutes. Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
  6. Open the lid, Add the sugar and saffron milk, and stir well. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the kheer thickens further, stirring occasionally. If you dint get the desired consistency, cook for extra 2 minutes until it thickens a bit. Note: Kheer thickens after cooling down or refrigeration.
  7. Lastly, add the cardamom powder, and roasted nuts. Mix well. Cancel Saute. Serve warm or chilled.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.