Monday, May 9, 2011

Sabudana Kheer

Ingredients:

1/4 cup small sized tapioca pearls/sabudana
3 cups whole milk
scant 1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of saffron
4-5 small green cardamoms seeds ground
5 tablespoons slivered almonds
chopped pistachio for garnish


Steps:

Crush the cardamom seeds and the saffron to a powder with a mortar and pestle.
Roast the nuts very lightly.

Wash the tapioca pearls; soak the pearls for about 5-8 minutes and drain them. Set it aside and let it sit for about 60 minutes. They will plump a little.

In a thick bottomed pot, bring the milk to a slow boil at low to medium heat. Keep stirring the milk to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pot and scorching. Add the ground cardamom and saffron to the milk.

Simmer the milk for about 15 minutes while constantly stirring. Add the toasted nuts and tapioca pearls to the pot and cook with the milk till they plump and softens. This should not take longer than 5 minutes. They will get bigger, swollen and kind of translucent. Press a pearl between your fingers; the center should be cooked too. Now add the sugar and the slivered almonds. Simmer, while stirring till the sugar is dissolved. Switch off the heat and cool.

Chill the pudding till ready to serve.
Garnish with nuts and serve chilled.