Sabudana Kheer is a favorite dessert prepared during the festive season that also accompanies other Vrat (fasting) dishes like sabudana vada, sabudana khichdi, etc. Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer is a super comforting one-pot recipe that comes together in less than 30 mins (with soaked sago pearls) and uses a few simple ingredients.
It can be served hot or chilled as it tastes delicious either way.
Religious fasting calls for the Saatvik diet (dishes devoid of onion and garlic), and this recipe – Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer perfectly fits the bill.
It is a super easy and deliciously creamy dessert prepared for special occasions, festivals, and religious fastings such as Navratri (9 days of fasting).
What is Sabudana Kheer?
Sabudana Kheer recipe is made up of 2 terms = Sabudana + Kheer, and if we break the two terms —
Sabudana is the Hindi term for Tapioca pearls or Sago pearls. Being naturally gluten-free, it is an alternative to wheat (wheat is abandoned during fasting in India). Sabudana is low in nutrients and minerals but high in carbohydrates, making it the best food choice during fasting.
Sabudana tastes bland on its own, but being a versatile ingredient, it takes the flavor of other ingredients quite well. For this reason, it is used in sweet and savory dishes.
Kheer is the Hindi term for pudding. Indian puddings are prepared with various ingredients like rice, semolina, broken-wheat (Dalia), sabudana, and many more, and a sweetener and lots of dry fruits.
Similarly, this Instant Pot Sabudana kheer recipe is a delicious recipe prepared with the lusciousness of sabudana, creaminess of milk, and nutrition of dry fruits and nuts, all coming together in a heavenly bowl of yumminess.
Other Names for Sabudana Kheer!
This rich and luscious Indian dessert is also known by these names —
- Sago Milk Pudding
- Chowari Payasam: In Malayalam, chowari is the name of tapioca pearls, and Payasam means pudding.
- Tapioca Pearl Pudding
- Javvarisi Payasam: In Tamil, Javvarisi means sabudana or tapioca pearls, and Payasam means pudding.
If you are familiar with any other names of Sabudana kheer, then share it with me in the comments below.
Reasons You’ll ♡ Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana Kheer is a favorite delicacy during the Indian fasting season! It is preferred over other recipes during the fasting season owing to its many benefits. Here are a few of its features —
- Is rich in starch, therefore, provides enough energy to pull off through the day.
- Easy to digest and light on the stomach.
- Cholesterol-free.
- Rich in manganese, proteins, and fibers.
- A great source of iron and carbohydrates.
In addition to that, it is a perfect make-ahead recipe and can be made without any complicated steps.
Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer Ingredient list
Just like Makhane ki kheer, Sabudana kheer requires just a few pantry staples and is deceptively easy to make.
Half and half — Use half and half for the more luscious Sabudana Kheer.
Sabudana — Sago or Tapioca Pearls are the key ingredient for our delicious kheer.
Sugar — Used as a sweetener for this recipe. You can substitute sugar with jaggery for a healthier option.
Saffron —Lends a beautiful color and flavor to the kheer.
Cardamom Powder — Adds a lovely fragrance and flavor to the kheer.
Dry fruits — Almonds, Cashews, Raisins, and Pistachios are added to the Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer to raise its nutritional value.
How to make Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer
Please scroll down to the bottom of this post for the FULL, printable recipe card.
Soak Sabudana — Rinse sabudana under tap water until the water runs completely clear. Transfer the sabudana to a mixing bowl and add enough water to cover them. Cover and allow it to rest for 4-5 hours.
Cook Sabudana Kheer — Turn the Instant Pot to ‘Saute mode.’ Add half and half to the insert and bring it to a boil. When the milk comes to a full boil, stir in soaked sabudana pearls/tapioca pearls, sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix to combine.
Close the lid. Cook the Instant Pot Sabudna Kheer on High Pressure for 5 minutes with the pressure valve in the sealing position.
Assemble Sabudana Kheer — Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. Open the Instant Pot, stir in the dry nuts, and mix to combine.
You can serve it either warm or cold. Whether you are observing fast or not, this rich and creamy dessert is the perfect treat that is loved by one and all for —
- Its creaminess comes from Half-n-half.
- Flavors that come from cardamom and saffron.
- The delectable crunch and nutrition that comes from the added nuts.
Expert Tips and variations
Sabudana — Always use fresh and good quality sabudana to prevent an unpleasant flavor of the kheer.
For a quick kheer — Sabudana needs to be soaked for about 4- 5 hours to soften before preparing the recipe. However, if you want to speed up the process, soak sabudana in hot water for about 30 mins. It will be ready, to begin with, the recipe.
Other options — I have added almonds, cashews, raisins, and pistachios to this recipe. You can add figs, dates, cranberries, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or any other dry fruits and nuts of your choice.
Vegan alternative — To turn your recipe into a vegan recipe, substitute dairy milk with almond milk or coconut milk. There will be a specific alteration to the taste, but it will taste equally good.
Flavoring kheer with fruits puree — This Instant Pot sabudana kheer is subtly flavored with saffron. You can also add fruit purees like mango puree for an outstanding flavor. Add it only when the kheer has cooled down; else, it may curdle the kheer and spoil the recipe.
Other flavoring alternatives — Besides fruits, you can also flavor the sabudana kheer with other flavoring agents like rose water, thandai mix, kewra essence, and even gulkand for a more intensely rose-flavored sabudana kheer.
Best consistency — Sabudana kheer tends to thicken as it cools. It is best to keep the kheer on a liquid consistency when prepared. If it gets thickened on cooling, you can add more milk to balance the consistency according to your liking.
For a richer kheer — If you like a rich kheer, reduce the quantity of sugar to ¼ cup and add ¼ cup of sweetened condensed milk. Your kheer will be more flavorful and luscious.
Let me know what you think!
Are these charming tiny pearls of sabudana fascinating to you? If yes, then rejoice, for you are not far from getting this exciting recipe revealed!
Gather your ingredients and dive right into the recipe instructions given below. And do not forget to tell your family to be ready for a delicious surprise!
Should you make this recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
Craving for more, try my other vrat delicacies:
Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer
INGREDIENTS
SABUDANA KHEER INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups Half and Half Milk
- ½ cup Sabudana
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra Sugar
- 10-12 strands of Saffron
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 1 teaspoon Slivered Almonds
- ½ teaspoon Charoli Seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon Sliced Cashews
- 2 teaspoons Golden Raisins/Khismish
GARNISH WITH ASSORTED NUTS
INSTRUCTIONS
SOAK SABUDANA
- Rinse sabudana under tap water until the water runs completely clear.
- Transfer the sabudana to a large bowl. Add 1 cup of water to sabudana. Just enough to cover them.
- Cover and allow it to rest for 4-5 hours.
- After 4 hours, Sabudana will become soft. Drain and set it aside
COOK KHEER
- Turn the Instant Pot to ‘Saute mode.’ Once it displays ‘hot,’ add half and half to the insert.
- Bring it to a boil. Keep a watchful eye on the milk as it may boil over.PROTIP – You can substitute rich and creamy half-and-half for full cream milk (whole milk).
- When the milk comes to a full boil, stir in soaked sabudana pearls/tapioca pearls.
- Add sugar.
- Add cardamom powder and mix to combine.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Close the lid and seal the pot. Press the Manual or pressure cook button and cook the Instant Pot Sabudna Kheer on High Pressure for 5 minutes with the pressure valve in sealing position.
TOAST DRY NUTS
- Add ghee to a pan. Once hot, add raisins, cashews, almonds, and charoli seeds to the pan. Sauté the nuts for a minute over medium-low heat.
- Once done, remove the nuts from the pan and transfer them onto a plate. Set it aside.
ASSEMBLE KHEER
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, turn off the pressure cooker. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. When the pin drops, carefully open the lid.
- Stir in the dry nuts and mix to combine.
- As the kheer cools, Sabudana pearls will absorb the milk, and the kheer will thicken. Add some warm milk to the kheer to adjust consistency.
- Garnish with assorted nuts and serve.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
Frequently Asked Questions
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan and add milk to it. Bring it to a boil.
- Now, add the soaked sabudana pearls, sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir well.
- When the mix begins to boil again, lower the flame and allow the kheer to simmer on the lowest setting for an hour.
- Keep stirring intermittently to avoid settling of the sabudana pearls.
- When the sabudana pearls turn translucent, it means your kheer is cooked.
- Now, stir in the assorted nuts and combine well.
- It’s time now to serve your delicious preparation garnished with slivered nuts!
