Sabudana vada is a fasting-day favourite from Maharashtra, made for Navratri, Ekadashi and Mahashivratri, though most people eat it far more often than that. Soaked tapioca pearls are mixed with boiled potato and coarsely crushed roasted peanuts, seasoned with green chilli and cumin, and fried into flat, round patties. Every bite is crunchy.
A good sabudana vada is crunchy outside and soft, chewy and slightly springy within, with the peanuts giving a nutty crunch. The pearls turn translucent and form little crisp bubbles on the surface while frying. Because the ingredients are fasting-friendly, the vada uses rock salt and avoids onion and garlic.
It is served hot with a sweet curd dip or a green chutney made without onion. Pune eateries sell it all day with a cup of tea, and it is one of the dishes that make people look forward to fasts. Leftover sabudana khichdi can also be mashed and shaped into vadas.
At a glance
| Region | Maharashtra |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Maharashtrian |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Snack |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 40 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | sabudana / potato / peanuts / green chilli |
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) sabudana, soaked 5-6 hours
- 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
- Oil for deep frying
- 1 cup curd whisked with 1 tsp sugar, to serve
Method
- Soak the sabudana as for khichdi: rinse, then cover with water just to the level of the pearls and leave for 5-6 hours. Drain completely and check that the pearls squash easily.
- In a bowl, combine the sabudana, mashed potato, peanuts, chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, sugar and salt.
- Mix well with your hands until the mixture holds together. If it is too soft, add a little more crushed peanut.
- Divide into 12 portions. Wet your palms and shape each into a ball, then flatten into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat oil to medium-hot, about 170 C. Test with a small piece; it should rise steadily without browning instantly.
- Fry 4 vadas at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden brown all over. Drain on paper.
- Serve hot with the sweetened curd.
Tips
- Too much moisture in the sabudana causes the vadas to burst. Drain well and let it dry.
- Fry in medium-hot oil; very hot oil makes them dark outside and raw inside.
- For a lower-oil version, cook them in an appe pan with a little oil.
Serve with
Sweet curd or a green chutney with peanuts.