Saffron Rose Sabudana Chaat With Dates
This Saffron Rose Sabudana Chaat with Dates is a perfect meal to try during the Navaratri Vrat. It’s tangy-sweet flavor is enhanced with saffron, rose and dates, ingredients that you typically don’t see in a chaat.
Ingredients
Sabudana Layer:
- 1 cup sago (sabudana or tapioca pearls)
- 3/4 cup roasted peanuts , coarsely ground
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 4 curry leaves
- 2 tsp green chilies
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp rose water
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- salt to taste or use sendha namak for fast
Potato Layer:
- 2 cup potatoes , finely diced
- 1 1/2 tbsp ghee
- pinch turmeric powder
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste or use sendha namak for fast
Dates Layer:
- 8-10 dates , finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt to taste or use sendha namak for fast
Others:
- 1/4 cup cilantro chutney
- 10 strands saffron , soaked in 1 tsp water
- almonds , finely chopped
- pistachio
Instructions
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Rinse sabudana pearls in cold water, 3-4 times till the water is clear and all starch is rinsed off. Soak them in a wide bowl for 3 to 4 hours, with enough water to just cover them. They will absorb water and double in size. Press them and check that they are not hard from inside. Now drain them completely and spread them on a kitchen towel till they are totally dry.
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Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds and curry leaves, and let them splutter. Add green chili and sauté for a minute. Then add sabudana, crushed peanut, sugar, black pepper, salt, lemon juice and cilantro leaves. Mix every thing well. When the sabudana pearls loose their opaqueness and start becoming translucent, they are cooked . It should not take more then 2-3 minutes. Be careful, as over cooking can make them sticky and lumpy. Now, switch off the flame, add in the rose water, and leave the pan covered for 2-3 minutes and then take it out in a bowl.
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For the potato layer, heat ghee in a pan. Add boiled potatoes and sauté on medium flame till they are golden brown in color and are crispy. Then add salt, lemon juice and cilantro. Take it out in a bowl.
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Now, let’s set the chaat in cups. In the base, add the chopped dates with salt and lemon to emulate a tamarind chutney. Then layer it with the potatoes, followed by the cilantro chutney, and finally the sabudana. Sprinkle it with the saffron water and garnish it with almonds and pistachio.
Recipe Notes
- There are so many varieties of sabudana available, which need to be soaked for different times, anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. So, you might need to experiment with the sabudana.
- Try to use thicker variety of sabudana pearls, as they will not stick together. You can also toss them with 1 tsp ghee before cooking to avoid sticking or coat them with some peanut powder to absorb the moisture.
Make sure sabudana pearls are completely dry by spreading them on a kitchen towel. - Use enough ghee for cooking, otherwise sabudana pearls will stick together due to lack of grease.
- Air Fryer Potato Layer – You can also air fry the potatoes, instead of pan roasting them. Just mix potatoes with 1 tbsp ghee and salt and air fry on 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes (time may vary). When done, add lemon juice and cilantro.