Saggubiyyam upma/Saboo daana upma

With kartika masam or the auspicious month of Kartik come the days for fasting and praying. While most of south India celebrates every Monday of the 4 weeks of Kartikam by fasting for Lord shiva, Poojas and rituals in the North are also popular.

Saggubiyyam or saboo daana is considered the right food/snack/tiffin/palaharam as it is called in different places during this fasting season. Saggubiyyam upma or saboo dana upma is a simple recipe for the empty stomach, with the right dose of nutrients.

We Thank Avva (Smt. Krupalakshmi Narayana Sastry) for this traditional and authentic recipe.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20-30 mins

Ingredients:
Sago seeds (Saggu biyyam/Sabu dana) 1/2kg
Curds/buttermilk 1cup
Onion (Optional) 1
Potatoes (aloo) 2
Carrot 1
Refined cooking oil 1tbsp
Green chillies 2
Red chilli 1
Bengal gram 1tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Ginger 1tsp
Coarsley ground peanut powder 2tsp
Pinch of asafoetida (Hing)
Pinch of turmeric (haldi)
Salt to taste

Fresh and grated coconut and fresh and finely chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Wash, boil and mash the potatoes. Grate the carrot, ginger and finely chop the onion. (Onion is optional as most people do not eat onion during the fasting period, however it adds taste when had otherwise.)

Take 1 cup of peanuts. Dry roast for a min and remove the outer brown skin. Leave to cool and grind into a coarse powder.

Soak the saboo dana over night in a cup of butter milk. Please add buttermilk enough to just dip the saboo dana and not more. Drain out the saboo dana and leave as it is for around 45 mins to dry. Incase it is required to cook it instantly, then soak the saboo dana for 1 to 3 hrs depending on consistency of the buttermilk and how soggy the saboo dana is turning out to be.

In a pan/kadai (bandli/mookudu), heat oil. Add green chillies, red chilli, Bengal gram, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, a pinch each of asafoetida and turmeric.

Once the mustard seeds pop, add chopped onions and fry for 2 mins (optional). Add the mashed potatoes, grated carrot and cook for 2 mins on simmer.

Add salt to taste, the soaked and dried or just soaked saboo dana and keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the pan. Stir for around 3-5 mins.

Leave for half a min to cook and add the coarsely ground peanut powder. Mix well.

Garnish with fresh and grated coconut and finely chopped coriander. Serve hot with any of the chutneys, raithas or just as is.

Saboo dana upma is done. Saboo dana upma is colorful and relished both by the young and old. With a variety of tastes tickling the tongue, saboo dana upma is also good for health. So of you have a mother in law who is fasting at home, or you yourself are fasting and if you have kids who want something colorful and new every day, you now know what to make to please all them.