The Sabudana Fastness

Officially, it’s the season when everyone is on a fast. So what about sabudana khichdi?

Wait, let’s not jump the gun and first talk about your motivation for the fast itself. If you are on a fast for ‘detox’, ‘weight loss’, cleansing or just driving a hard bargain—in return,  give me a raise/ male child/ loving husband/ nirvana—wake up, really. Irrespective of the name of your religion, god, length and intensity of the fast, this isn’t going to work.

Fasting finds its way into religion to develop the skill of watching over your tongue, and therefore your mind. This isn’t to say that diet should be bland, just simply planned. There’s a restriction on food, and specific timings, in an effort to develop discipline. But avoiding certain foods and following strict timing remains a small part of the practice, dwelling within and rising beyond the obvious being the ultimate aim.

Now that my bhashan is over, let’s talk of the real thing—sabudana is good. Although ‘weight watchers’ reduce it to ‘just empty calories’, when armed with peanuts, ghee and coconut it’s the perfect ‘omega 3,6,9’ supplement to reduce heart disease/ diabetes that you were desperate for, and without the fish oil smell. Also, it has been used in our culture as a recovery health drink for ages.

And let’s not forget—love and excitement is good for health too. I am guessing you love sabudana khichdi and get excited every time it’s cooked in your kitchen. So keep those feelings alive, relish your meal in all its glory and know that fasting is a spiritual and not a ‘eat this/ don’t eat that’ practice.