Saggubiyyam payasam recipe with step by step photos – Saggubiyyam is the telugu name to tapioca pearls or sago. This saggubiyyam payasam is one of the easiest puddings or payasam made with topioca pearls, jaggery, cardamom powder and milk.

Tapioca pearls are known as sabudana in hindi, javvarisi in tamil & sago in general. These are very high in carbohydrates and lacks other nutrients. So these are cooked to various dishes with nutritious ingredients like milk, peanuts, potatoes etc.
Due to the high carbs saggubiyyam is said to boost the energy instantly. It is also considered a summer food as it keeps the body cool and soothes the stomach. Many ayurvedic experts suggest this to beat the heat and dehydration.
Saggubiyyam payasam can also be prepared using little moong dal and rock sugar which helps to beat the summer heat.
I made this payasam with palm jaggery if you want to make it with sugar you can just skip making the jaggery syrup. Then add the sugar once the saggubiyyam is cooked through.
But the payasam made with jaggery always tastes the best and is preferred to offer God.
Most people offer saggubiyyam payasam to the gods during puja. Some women also add it to semiya payasam and some to rice payasam. But I personally do not use it for naivedyam as these are heavily processed.
How to make saggubiyyam payasam
1. If your jaggery/ palm jaggery is clean or you prefer to use sugar you can skip this step. But if you are unsure whether clean or not, melt it in a hot pot with just little hot water. Filter it through a coffee strainer, boil it until it reaches a thick consistency. Set this aside to cool. To cool this, i transfer to a wide bowl and cool it inside a bowl of cold water.

2. Wash and cook half cup sago in 1.5 cups of water till they are cooked and look transparent. You can also use a handful of pesara pappu or moong dal to this. Make sure pappu/ dal is cooked well.

3. Add 1 cup milk and cook on a medium flame. Keep stirring.

4. The payasam turns thick and sago is cooked completely.

5. Add cardamom powder / elaichi powder. Cook for a while.

6. Add the cooled and thickened jaggery syrup or sugar. Stir and switch off. Cooking further may curdle the payasam.

7. Add ghee to a hot pan. Roast nuts and raisins until golden.

Pour this to the payasam.

Offer to god or enjoy with your family.

Similar Andhra recipes,
Pesarattu
Gutti vankaya
Tomato pappu
Dibba rotti

Saggubiyyam payasam
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- ½ cup saggubiyyam or Tapioca pearls
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup jaggery (bellam) (or palm jaggery or sugar)
- 1 pinch cardamom powder or elaichi powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 4 cashews
- 4 raisins
Instructions
- Grate the jaggery and add it to a pan with 3 to 4 tbsps water. Heat it until the jaggery dissolves. Place a filter over a glass and pass the jaggery syrup through it. Rinse the pot and add back the jaggery syrup to it. Boil this until the syrup thickens a bit. Cool this completely and set aside.
- Add saggubiyyam to another pot and rinse them well twice. Pour 1½ cups water and cook them until they turn transparent. You can also bite them and check they must be fully cooked and not be hard inside. If needed add more water and keep stirring until done.
- Pour milk and cook until it thickens. Stir in the cardamom powder and cooled jaggery syrup. Do not pour hot jaggery syrup to the cooked saggubiyyam otherwise the payasam will curdle completely.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Add split cashews and fry until they turn lightly golden. Then stir in the raisins and fry until they turn plump. Pour this to the saggubiyyam payasam.
- Always cool the foods before offering to god. Sagubiyyam payasam is served after cooling completely to have the cooling effects on the body.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes


Ameeroon Shaik says
Hi Swathi ,
I tried this recipe at home but after the sago got cooked i added milk and it got curdle …i don’t what i mistook here ..
swasthi says
Hi Ameeroon,
Payasam can get curdled if the jaggery syrup is hot or if you cook after adding the jaggery syrup.
But if your’s got curdled even without the addition of jaggery, it means the milk already went bad (may be beyond the shelf life)
Vahini Manohar says
So, Jaggery have to cool down then we have mix with the sabudana. Further we have to stop the cooking to avoid curdle.
swasthi says
Yes vahini, This is the way we make at home.
Madhavi says
Hi swasthi! Tried this in the morning and came out very well. I added some almond paste also as i was feeding to my baby. Hope i can do that. Also as was in a hurry i couldn’t consume it. Can we refridgerate it and consume in the evening? Please advise. Thank you.
swasthi says
yes you can use almond paste. You can refrigerate it. If you have used jaggery, it may curdle when you reheat it.
Madhavi says
Thank u so much. I have used organic sugar.
Ruxana Gafoor says
such a yummy payasam dear …lovely clicks
Sona S says
tasty kheer, and nice clicks.
Suja Manoj says
Healthy payasam,looks so yummy..
Shailaja Reddy says
Lovely and tasty payasam.
Nithya Naveen says
I love this payasam
Nabanita Das says
Tasty kheer and awesome clicks…
PT says
beautiful glass swasthi.. this drink is definitely needed to beat chennais hot summer..
Kitchen Queen says
delicious one, love your tall glass.
Priya Suresh says
Very refreshing kheer i must say,love the addition of sabja seeds.
Madhavi K says
Looks so good! Loved the last picture.
Premalatha Aravindhan says
Delicious and my fav one…
Amrita Vishal says
Love the variety of recipes you have…this looks so tempting
Kaveri Venkatesh says
Addition of sabja seeds sounds interesting…Lovely payasam
Kalpana Sareesh says
good one..
Navaneetham Krishnan says
This is lovely, more flavors and ingredients compared to our local version of honey dew melon sago. Certainly refreshing and soothing.
Phong Hong says
Very nice drink! I like sago in desserts.
Meena Selvakumaran says
one refreshing drink,with all healthy ingredient….
Rafeeda AR says
i looove sago payasam… urs looks delicious… 🙂