Sabudana has got a great importance in Indian cuisine, especially during the festival of Navratri, when people cook vrat- friendly dishes like khichdi, papad, vada and kheer. Those tiny white pearls are popular worldwide and are used for making sweet puddings and bubble tea. But did you know sabudana is made from the starch of cassava plant (a perennial shrub of tropical lowlands) and it is widely known as tapioca. It is used as a thickening agent worldwide and the vegetable is also a staple food in some regions, including India as it is gluten-free.
The roots of tapioca are crushed in a tank to obtain juice that later converts into paste when stored, and then the paste is made into small round balls which is known as sabudana or sago. Tapioca flour is also sometimes used as an alternative to wheat flour and also added as an ingredient in dishes like soups.
Health Benefits Of Tapioca:
According to WebMD, apart from providing daily nutrition, tapioca is rich in minerals and contains zero saturated fats that provides the following health benefits:
- As it contains zero saturated fat, the risk of heart disease is reduced. Thus, including tapioca in the daily diet can improve your heart health.
- The starch contained in tapioca has properties that can help in lowering the insulin level, which is beneficial for diabetes control.
- Tapioca starch is gluten-free that makes it easy to digest and it can also serve as an alternative to wheat flour for people with celiac disease.
- It is also a rich source of iron and calcium which is important for strong bones and healthy teeth.
Tapioca is very popular in South India and is used to make chips and curry. Here are two delicious recipes that you can cook with tapioca:
1. Tapioca Podimas:
Ingredients:
- 2 tapioca roots
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp gram dal
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 4 green chillies
- 5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
Method:
- Put tapioca in a pressure cooker and add water to cover them fully.
- Cover with the lid and pressure cook for two full whistles on high.
- Then mash the boiled tapioca properly.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds.
- Let the mustard crackle then add gram dal.
- Fry the dal until golden colour and add chopped onions.
- Sauté onions and add slit green chillies with curry leaves.
- Add turmeric powder and salt.
- Now add the mashed tapioca and mix well.
- Now cook tapioca in low flame for five minutes.
And serve as a side dish for rice or chapati for breakfast or lunch.
2. Tapioca Curry:
Ingredients:
- 500 gm tapioca (boiled)
- 1/2 cup water
For coconut masala paste:
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 3 tbsp water
For seasoning:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 6-7 curry leaves
- 4 sliced onions
Method:
- In a bowl, mix boiled tapioca pieces with water and salt.
- Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Add coconut paste and mix it well.
- Adjust with water if required and cook again on low heat for five to eight minutes.
For seasoning:
- In a frying pan, heat oil on a medium heat and add mustard seeds.
- When they splutter, add cumin, curry leaves and small onion slices.
- Fry for ten minutes and pour the seasoning over tapioca curry.
Serve the delicious curry with rice or roti.
