Sabudana khichdi

Step 1: Rinse 7 oz sabudana (medium sago pearls) in a sieve under running water, rubbing gently, 2–3 times until the water runs clear; this washes off loose starch that makes it gluey. Put it in a bowl and pour over just enough water to sit level with the top of the pearls. Cover and soak for 4–6 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Check the sago: press a pearl between your fingers; it should squash completely with no hard white centre. If it's still hard in the middle, sprinkle with 2 tbsp water and leave for another hour. Fluff it with a fork; the pearls should be separate and damp, not sitting in water.

Step 3: Roast 2 ⅞ oz raw peanuts in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 5–6 minutes until golden with dark spots. Cool, rub off the skins and crush coarsely in a mortar or with a couple of pulses in a grinder; you want gritty crumbs, not peanut butter.

Step 4: Add the crushed peanuts, 1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak) and 1 tsp sugar to the sago and toss with your fingers so every pearl is coated. The peanut powder soaks up surface moisture and keeps the pearls apart while cooking.

Step 5: Heat 2 tbsp groundnut oil in a wide, non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds; when it sizzles, add 3 green chillies and 10 curry leaves (if using) and stir for 20 seconds. Add 1 potato and fry for 3 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.

Step 6: Add the sago mixture and cook on a medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, folding gently from the bottom every minute rather than stirring hard. The khichdi is ready when most of the pearls turn from white to translucent. Overcooking makes them chewy and sticky, so take it off as soon as they're glassy.

Step 7: Turn off the heat, squeeze over 1 tbsp lemon juice and scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander. Toss gently and serve hot, with plain yogurt or a cucumber raita if you aren't keeping it vegan.