What is Sabudana?
Sabudana or sago is a man-made starch extracted from cassava or tapioca roots. This starch is then processed to form small balls or spheres. Sabudana is also known as sago or tapioca pearls. It provides energy and is frequently used during religious fasting, when other grains are prohibited.
How to prepare sabudana?
Sabudana is generally soaked in water for 4-5 hours to overnight before it can be cooked. Sabudana will fluff up upon soaking, after which it can be used in various recipes. Sabudana pearls can be of varying size, so they may take different times for soaking. Some may get soaked in just about 3-4 hours, while other qualities might take upto 8 hours.
Is sabudana good for babies?
Sabudana is a simple starch, which is very easy to digest. It also provides quick energy, thus is a good first food for babies. It is rich in protein, calcium and other minerals. It is also a filling food and keeps baby full till the next meal.
We are sharing 5 simple sabudana recipes for babies here today.
Sabudana ka Pani( 5-6 months and above)
Sabudana is rich in starch, so this makes it a good first food for babies which makes it energy-giving and easy to digest. You can give this occasionally along with other regular cereals like rice, khichdi etc.
Ingredients
Sago pearls/ sabudana 2 tbsp
Method
Wash and soak sabudana in clear water for 4-5 hours.
If your sabudana takes longer to soak, then you can even leave it overnight.
Drain the water out.
Heat a pan and heat 1 cup of water with 2 table spoons of soaked sabudana.
Let this cook till sabudana starts looking translucent.
Add more water if needed.
Cool it down a little.
Take the cooked, soft sago and mash it down to a smooth consistency.
Add more water to thin it down if you need.
You can also add 2-3 drops of ghee to this too.
Sabudana Recipes for Babies
Sabudana Porridge (6 months and above)
Cook the sabudana in the same way as in sabudana water.
Take the cooked, soft sago and mash it down to a smooth consistency.
Add a few teaspoons of formula or breast milk to make it a porridgy consistency.
This porridge is a good occasional option for baby.
Sabudana kheer (1 year +)
Ingredients
Soaked Sabudana/ Sago – 2 table spoons
Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 2 tea spoons
Cardamom – 1 (crushed)
Nuts – as per preference
Recipe
Soak the sabudana for 4-5 hours.
Cook the sabudana in 1/2 cup water.
Add 1 cup milk and cook for 5-10 minutes till sago is completely cooked and translucent.
Cook the kheer on slow to medium heat.
Add crushed cardamom or cardamom powder to the kheer.
Add sugar and chopped nuts.
Let the kheer cool down a little before serving to child.
Sabudana khichdi
Ingredients
Sabudana/ Sago – 2 table spoons
Yellow moong dal – 2 table spoons
Ghee – 1 tea spoon
Cumin seeds – 1 pinch
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
Frozen/ Fresh-boiled green peas – 2 table spoons
Salt – to taste
Recipe
Soak the sabudana for 4-5 hours.
Drain and keep aside.
Wash and soak moong dal for 15 minutes.
Drain and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pan.
Add asafoetida and cumin seeds to ghee.
When cumin seeds start spluttering, add washed moong dal.
Roast moong dal for few seconds.
Add green peas and saute for a few seconds.
Add about half cup water and bring to a boil.
Add a pinch of tumeric powder and salt according to taste.
Add more water if needed, cover and let the dal cook for 8-10 minutes on medium heat.
Once dal is about 70% cooked, add sabudana.
Mix well and let the khichdi cook for another 5-8 minutes till dal and sago is completely cooked.
Add more water if necessary.
Sabudana khichdi is ready.
Serve it warm with some ghee on top if you like.
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Food to give to baby during loose motions
