How to Make Sabudana Vada, Sabudana Vada Recipe

Crispy fried patties of sago and potatoes
Sabudana vada is a popular Maharashtrian snack .Its is now very popular all over Indian as a fasting snack.Sabudana /tapioca pearl/sago is the main ingredient or popular ingredients to be used during fasting. During Navratri,ekadashi,janmashtmi etc religious fasts other grains and lentils are not consumed that time using sabudana is quite filling and satisfying ,even kids loves sabudana as a snack. I often make sabudana vada on regular basis as its my children's favorite snack.
There are many fasting recipes to be made with sabudana-   Sabudana Khichdi , Sabudana uttapam , Sabudana Thalipeth  and and many more delicious recipes
To make sabudana vada you need perfectly soaked sabudana, roasted and roughly grounded peanuts,boiled potato and fresh herbs .Soak the sabudana for at least 5-6 hours or overnight in just enough water i.e 1 inch above the sabudana. Next morning drain the extra water and spread it over a kitchen towel to remove the extra moisture.Then mix all the ingredients and shape into round and medium thick discs, dont make too thick vadas else they will not turn crisp.
I prefer to shape the vadas with a hole in the center like we do to make medu vadas so they turn crisper even in the center but you can shape them either in round vadas or can make small round balls to serve as cocktail snack or starter.


Prep time- 20 min +soaking time
Cooking time- 30 min
Difficulty level -medium
Spice level - mild
Cuisine - Maharashtra,Indian
Type - snack, starter ,vrat ka khana,breakfast
Serve - 4-5
INGREDIENTS-

• Tapioca pearls/sago /sabudana -1 cup
• Boiled potato/aloo - 5 medium
• Roasted peanuts /moongphali- 1/2 cup
• Green chilies,finely chopped - 2.5 tsp
• Ginger /adrak,finely chopped - 1.5 tsp
• Cumin seeds/jeera- 1.5 tsp
• Lemon juice/nimbu ras - 2  tsp
• Fresh coriander/hara dhaniya ,chopped- 4 tbsp
• Rajgiri atta - 2 tbsp (optional) *
• Sugar- 1.5 tsp
• Rock salt /Sendha namak- to taste

PROCEDURE-

1. Soak sabudana in enough water for minimum 5-6 hours or overnight.
2. Next morning drain all the extra water and spread the soaked sabudana on a kitchen towel for about an hour to remove all the moisture from it.
3. Dry roast the peanuts in a pan or microwave them .
4. Let the peanuts cool down completely then coarsely grind in the mixer jar,don't make a fine powder else it become sticky .
5. Peel the boiled potatoes and grate or mash them .
6. Take a big bowl and add the soaked sabudana , mashed potatoes, crushed peanuts, green chili, ginger, salt, sugar, coriander, Rajgiri atta , cumin and lemon juice.
7. Mix everything properly using a spoon or with your hands.
8. Now grease your hands with little oil and take some portions of the sabudana mixture and make small or medium size patties.
9. You can make a hole in the center like we make in medu vadas but its optional.
10. Heat enough oil to deep fry in a heavy and deep pan.
11. When oil become hot then gently slide few vadas in hot oil, don't crowd the pan.
12. Deep Fry on medium heat , turn the side 2-3 times while frying till they become golden in color from both the sides.
13. Drain on a paper napkin when done.

Serving suggestions- Best served with Tamarind chutney, Falahari green chutney or sweet and spicy yogurt(add 1.5 tsp sugar, salt and chili powder in a cup of yogurt)
NOTE-

1. You can also add some crushed almond powder and roasted sesame powder along with roasted peanut powder to make it more healthy.
2. The quantity of soaked sabudana should not be more then the quantity of mashed potatoes.
3. To make perfect vadas you have to soak sabudana perfectly,there should not be any hardness or dryness when you press the soaked sabudana pearl,it should be soft from the center too.
4. There should be no extra water in the sabudana so drain it completely else it may break or splatter while frying
5. If you feel that the mixture is slightly loose then don't add lemon juice instead add some mango powder /amchoor or citic acid/tatri in it.
6. Rajgiri atta /kuttu ka aata /arrowroot /cornflour can be added for binding and crispiness ,you can add or skip it.
7. Deep fry vadas on medium heat,don't fry on hot oil else they get golden from outside but remain raw from inside, and also avoid frying on low heat else they will absorb more oil.
8. You can also add pepper powder or chili flakes instead of adding green chilies .
9. You can shape them in patties, or shape like medu vadas with a hole in the center or make small lemon size round ball (like the second pic )to serve as starter .
10. You can brush the vadas with little oil and bake them in hot oven.