Sabudana Kheer | Saggubiyyam Payasam | Sago Kheer | Sabbakki Payasa

A variety of  Kheer/Payasam is usually prepared during any festival or an occasion.'Sabudana' or 'Sago' is called 'Saggubiyyam' in Telugu and 'Sabbakki' in Kannada and 'Javvarisi' in Tamil.I always use the variety called nylon sago when I prepare payasam and also for 'Saggubiyyam(Sago) Upma',which is our community special.The nylon sago really works nicely to give a non sticky upma and kheer which makes each sago pearl looks separate.One can use any other normal variety of sago which is available in the market to make this kheer.Please have a look at the picture below to see how the nylon sago looks.

The preparation of Sabudana(Sago) kheer is quite similar to any other kheer variety just that we need to take care of  the cooking process of sago.Sometimes the milk curdles if sago is cooked in it directly,in order to avoid that I always roast sago in ghee and cook it in enough water before the milk is added.This way it not avoids curdling of milk,it also ensures that sago granules are separate.If you had experienced this problem try my method I am sure you would be happy to make perfect sago payasam.

Sabudana Kheer | Sabbakki Payasa Recipe:

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Sago/Sabudana(Nylon or regular variety)

1 heaped cup Sugar

1 liter full cream Milk

1 cup Water

10-12 Cashew nuts,broken

15-20 Raisins

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

few Saffron strands

1 tbsp Ghee 

Method:

• Boil milk and simmer it for 12-15 mins until it becomes 3/4th of the quantity.
• Take 1 tbsp of milk in a small cup and add saffron strands to it.Rub the saffron strands in between your fingers before you add to the hot milk.
• Boil a cup of water in another vessel.
• Meanwhile heat ghee in a kadai and fry cashewnuts and fry them until golden in color and remove them and keep aside.
• In the same kadai add raisins and fry them until they fluff up and remove and keep them aside too.
• Now add sago to the remaining ghee and fry for 1-2 mins.
• Add boiling water and cook till the sago turns transparent and soft to touch.It takes 3-4 mins.
• Take out from the fire and leave for a minute aside for sago to settle down.Drain off the extra water if any which stands on top.
• Add the thick boiled milk and reduce the flame and cook until it bubbles.
• Add sugar and mix gently till it dissolves and let it continue cooking over low flame.Always cook over low flame otherwise the milk might curdle.
• Add saffron infused milk and cook for another few mins.
• Add ghee roasted cashew nuts and raisins and cardamom powder to the kheer and mix and switch off the flame.

Serve it hot/warm/cold or at room temperature.

 Notes:

1. I usually prefer to fry the sago in ghee which makes sure that the sago pearls does not stick to each other in the end product-kheer.
2. If we cook sago in milk,it might curdle sometimes and hence I always cook in water and then add boiled and thickened milk to it later.
3. Always make sago kheer in reduced flame to avoid the curdling.
4. This kheer thickens as it sits for long,you can add a couple of tablespoons boiled milk to the kheer before you serve.
5. You can even skip saffron strands in the recipe,this will give a white colored kheer.
6. If you want to make the kheer still richer add 1/4 cup condensed milk and reduce sugar to 2/3 cup.Adjust this by tasting it if necessary.