Sabudana Kheer

The original recipe is made by boiling the tapioca pearls in milk, with sugar and cardamom. However, my vegan variation with the Instant Pot is a refreshing look at this old-time recipe. I agree to be sent email.

A little of memories from the past….When I was little I remember my mother use to make this kheer and I liked it chilled than when it was warm. The traditional way of serving this recipe is warm after a sumptuous meal, but the chilled version can be equally good when the cashews soak up all the flavor. The vegan version isn’t that much different apart from the substitution of milk with coconut milk. I have not tried any other plant-based milk because the flavor from coconut is a big part of this recipe. This comes close to the other Kheer recipe from my childhood that is prepared with milk, sugar, and split yellow mung beans.

What is Sabudana?

Sabudana balls are translucent spheres; a product of tapioca, a starch extracted from the cassava root. There is probably a place where I was, this is called “Sabakki”. Another popular name is “Sago” and “Tapioca pearls”.

Why should you use Instant pot?

The good part about using the instant pot is the fact that you have a one-pot solution to steam cook and prepare the sabudana kheer. Cooking the tapioca pearls in a traditional pressure cooker can be difficult at times, especially if the pearls are not cooked completely in one attempt. The instant pot makes it easy to cook them to perfection in 10 minutes. Tapioca pearls cook better after soaking them in cold water for about 10 minutes. If you do not plan to use an Instant Pot, be sure to cook them for at least 3 whistles.

Useful tips

Before soaking the tapioca pearls, wash them twice to remove the starch coating. Starch coating tends to make them sticky.I used canned coconut milk. You can also use fresh coconut milk to improve the taste. I used Jaggery to sweeten the sabudana Kheer. You can also use sugar or coconut sugar as a variation.Adding Saffron strands and garnishing cardamom powder and nuts brings a ton of authentic flavor to the dish. Sabudana kheer or tapioca pudding becomes thick after 30 mins at room temperature. You can add more milk if you prefer to eat thin consistency. Enjoy!

How to store soaked sabudana?

If you soak tapioca pearls but cannot use them one same day, just drain them and store them in an airtight container. Tapioca pearls stay good for up to 3 days. The finished kheer recipe stays good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You may like my other instant pot recipes…Instant pot jam, Instant Pot Vegetable rice, etc. If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Follow me on social media Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Just subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious vegan recipes such as this sent directly to your inbox.