Sabudana kheer or payasam is a delicious pudding made using tapioca pearls. Also known as javvarasi payasam, this smooth and luscious dessert is popular during festivals like Navratri and Shivratri as it can be eaten during fasting/vrat.
Jump to:
Why you will love this recipe
- Sabudana kheer is a dessert that comes together quickly and effortlessly, making it perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings in no time.
- Sabudana kheer is a popular choice during fasting or vrat/upvas.
- This kheer offers a delightful blend of creamy and subtly sweet flavors, with the addition of cardamom and saffron infusing it with a touch of aromatic richness.
Ingredients
Sabudana: Use the thick variety of sabudana.
Milk: Whole milk gives a creamy texture; however, low-fat milk also can be used.
Sugar: I use raw sugar; however, plain white sugar also can be used.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Rinse the sabudana in water until the water runs clear. Soak it in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes (image 1). Set the
Step 2: Once it boils and the pearls turn translucent, add milk and sugar (images 3 and 4).
Step 3: Add saffron, cardamom, nuts, and raisins. Mix well (image 5). Close the lid and put the
Step 4: Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a controlled quick release. Mix well and serve (images 7 and 8).
Expert Tips
Wash the sago pearls well. Soak it just for 5 minutes. If you plan ahead and soak it for longer, reduce the cooking time to 7 minutes.
You can also sweeten the kheer with jaggery. However, in this case, add the jaggery after pressure cooking the sabudana and put the IP in saute mode (low) until the jaggery melts. Pressure cooking with jaggery will curdle the milk.
As an optional ingredient, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of condensed milk to add richness to the kheer. In that case, make sure to reduce the amount of sugar.
Recipe FAQs
Sabudana is the starch extracted from the cassava roots. It is a very popular vrat/upvas food (or fasting food). It is called sabbaki in Kannada, sabu in Bengali, javvarasi in Tamil, saggubiyam in Telugu, and just sabudana in many other Indian languages.
Traditionally, milk is used to make this dish, so it is not vegan. For a vegan version, you can use oat milk or soy milk instead of regular milk, although I have not tested this recipe with dairy-free milk.
Wash and boil the sago pearls with lots of water until it is fully cooked. Add milk and sugar only after the sabu is cooked and the pearls are translucent.
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored for 2-3 days. Once stored, the kheer tends to thicken. You can add some milk and thin it out before serving.
Yes. I soak it just for 5 minutes, and this can be skipped. Although, if you are soaking for a longer time, reduce the cooking time to 6 or 7 minutes.
More Maharashtrian recipes
If you tried this Sabudana Kheer Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Recipe card
Sabudana Kheer / Tapioca Pudding in Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sabudana
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ¼ cup nuts
- 1 tablespoon raisins
Instructions
- Rinse the sabudana in water until the water runs clear. Soak it in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes.
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add soaked sabudana along with water.
- Let it boil for 3-4 minutes.
- Once it boils and the pearls turn translucent, add milk. Mix well
- Close the lid and put the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode (low) for 10 minutes.
- Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Add chopped nuts, raisin, cardamom powder, and saffron. Mix well.
- Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator and serve cold.
Dani says
This was the easiest and best recipe for sabudana kheer I ever made. So good