Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Sabudana Vada
Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside deep-fried patties made of soaked tapioca pearls (sago), potatoes, and crushed peanuts.
- Prep
- 240 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 260 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- sabudana (tapioca pearls/sago)
- potatoes
- roasted peanuts
- green chilies
- ginger
- cumin seeds
- lemon juice
- fresh coriander
- rock salt (sendha namak)
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Frying pan or Deep wok
Instructions
- 1
Rinse Sabudana
Rinse the tapioca pearls (Sabudana) under running water in a colander until the water runs clear (removing excess starch prevents stickiness).
- 2
Soak Sabudana
Place the pearls in a wide bowl. Add just enough water to barely cover them (about 1/2 inch above the pearls). Soak for 4-5 hours or overnight.
- 3
Check the Soak
When pressed between two fingers, the soaked pearl should smash completely without any hard white center.
- 4
Prepare Peanuts
Dry roast raw peanuts until the skins blacken slightly. Cool, remove the skins, and coarsely crush them in a mortar (do not make a fine powder).
- 5
Boil Potatoes
Boil, peel, and thoroughly mash the potatoes.
- 6
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, mix the completely drained, soft Sabudana, mashed potatoes, and crushed peanuts.
- 7
Add Flavors
Add finely chopped green chilies, grated ginger, cumin seeds, fresh coriander, lemon juice, and rock salt (sendha namak is traditionally used for fasting).
- 8
Knead and Shape
Mix everything together like a dough. The potato acts as a binder. Pinch a portion and shape it into a tight, flat, round patty (Vada).
- 9
Heat Oil
Heat oil in a kadai. The oil must be medium-hot. (If it is cold, the vadas will absorb oil; if too hot, the pearls will burst).
- 10
Fry the Vadas
Slide the vadas into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Do not touch them for the first 2 minutes.
- 11
Crisp and Turn
Once a crust forms, flip them gently. Fry until they are deep golden brown and crisp on both sides.
- 12
Serve
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with sweetened yogurt or spicy green peanut chutney.
Cooking Tips
- The soaking method is the most critical part. Too much water turns them to mush; too little leaves a hard core.
- The crushed peanuts are not just for flavor; they absorb excess moisture from the dough and prevent the vadas from bursting in the oil.
Variations
- Sabudana Khichdi: Instead of frying into patties, the same soaked pearls are stir-fried loosely with potatoes and peanuts.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The ultimate 'Vrat' (religious fasting) food in India, as it contains no grains, onions, or garlic.
Nutrition Estimate
340 calories · 5g protein · 48g carbs · 14g fat · 2g fiber per serving
