javvarisi upma

Javvarisi (aka sabu dana, sago) is tapioca pearls made from cassava/yuca roots. It was not my favorite when I was little: as tapioca pearls are very starchy and turn translucent when cooked, my young mind likened it to snot :-)

But, I have started appreciating it more these days... especially since I am eager to introduce my wee one to new foods as she is growing up.

The most common way my mom used to cook these up is a dessert/sweet dish called paisam where the tapioca pearls are cooked in milk and sugar till translucent.

Here, in this recipe, I just make a simple vegetable kichdi-style upma-of-sorts out of javvarisi, flavored by ginger, onions, turmeric and salt. I find the smell of ginger and onion sautéing with a pinch of turmeric and salt very appetizing :-)

Ingredients:

1 cup javvarisi/tapioca pearls
1 medium potato, peeled, cooked, crumbled
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup frozen corn kernels
½ medium onion, diced finely
1-2 chilies, diced finely
2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish

tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp split urad dal, 1 tsp cumin seeds, some curry leaves (optional)

Preparation

soak the javvarisi in 6 cups of water overnight or longer; usually, i like to soak it tonight and cook it for dinner tomorrow night

drain the soaked javvarisi well and pat dry if needed, keep handy

tempering: heat oil in a pan, add the urad dal and when it turns golden brown, add the mustard seeds, and when they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves; then add the onions, chilies, turmeric powder and ginger, with a pinch of salt and sauté till onions turn translucent

add the frozen peas, corn kernels, and the cooked-and-crumbled potatoes, sauté for a bit longer

add the soaked and drained javvarisi and cook till the tapioca pearls turn translucent (if soaked well, it only takes a few minutes for the tapioca pearls to turn translucent); also, they tend to clump up, so, try to stir it on and off to keep the pearls separate

off heat, garnish with cilantro and serve warm