During Navratri, sabudana (tapioca pearls) is a favourite food among devotees observing fasts. It's light, easy to digest, and aligned with fasting guidelines, making dishes like sabudana khichdi and vada popular choices for Indians. But do you know where sabudana originated from? Read on to know more about this superfood.
Sabudana or tapioca pearls is one of the most sought-after snack ingredients for Indians especially during the fasting seasons. Its consumption is mostly associated with central and northern parts of India.
However, did you know that its history in India is traced back to the southern state of Kerala during the 1860s? Also tapioca tubers, the roots of which are used to obtain tapioca or sabudana, has its origin rooted in Brazil.
According to History, during the 1860s, the then ruler of the kingdom of Travancore, Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma, for the first time introduced this foreign root to save people from a deadly famine. The ruler and his Botanist brother introduced the tapioca tuber as an alternate source of food for a large starving population in their kingdom. Even after the Second World War, when rice was an expensive grain, people turned towards tapioca commonly called kappa in Kerala to be the staple in their meals.
And that’s how our favourite sabudana found its way to our kitchen as a traditional cuisine. Even though Sabudana is rich in carbohydrates, adding the right proportion of fibre, fat and protein with it makes it a perfect meal during fasting days. It is largely known to be a good source of carbohydrates and calories for vegetarians.
Also watch: Nutritionist shares how to stay healthy while observing fast during navratri