561. Sabudana Vada

a great treat

   Sabudana vada has been on my 'to do list' for a very long time. These days I am trying to avoid fried foods if possible so that when we dine out, I can indulge in whatever I want. However this Ekadashi, I just decided to make a fried snack. I am so glad I made these so crunchy and delicious vadas. A Maharashtrian snack, which is commonly found as street food, its easy to prepare and crispy from the outside and soft inside. Its usually served with sweetened yogurt. I am not a big fan of sweetened yogurt so I decided to make a yogurt coconut chutney. Sabudana vadas are very often made during fasting time. I had these crunchy vadas for the first time at the Hare Krishna Temple in Juhu and simply loved them. I fried a few and also made a few in the appe pan (paniyaram pan, ebelskiver pan). The fried ones stayed a bit crunchy even after they cooled down. However the ones made in the appe pan, became soft. So, I guess its best to serve them as soon as they are prepared. My hubby loved the more calorie filled ones-- the fried ones :) These vadas broke my intention to just eat fruit during this Ekadashi. Fasts are suppose to build up your discipline, but I broke mine. Lesson learnt that no fancy or tempting dishes should be prepared on fasting days. 
    So let me share the recipe with you.

made in an appe pan

deep fried 

SABUDANA VADA
Makes about 40

For the vadas:
1¼ cups sabudana (tapioca pearls, sago)
3 medium (approx 250g) potatoes
½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
½ cup coarse peanut powder
1-1½ tsp salt or sendhu namak (rock salt)
2-3 green chillis (finely chopped or crushed)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1 cup water

oil for deep frying

For the chutney :
1½ cup yogurt
½ cup fresh grated coconut
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp green chilli paste
¼ tsp salt

Preparation of the vadas:

1. Wash the sabudana in a strainer under running water for a few seconds.
2. Transfer the sabudana to a bowl.
3. Add water and let them soak for 2-3 hours.
4. In the meantime boil, peel and mash the potatoes.
5. If there is any liquid left in the sabudana, drain it out.
6. Add sabudana, coarse peanut powder, salt, jeera, coriander, lemon juice, chillis and ginger paste to the mashed potatoes.
7. Mix well.
8. Take about a tablespoonful of the mixture and make it into a round ball. Flatten it slightly.
9. If the mixture sticks to your hand wet them slightly.
10. Repeat step 8 till all the mixture is used up.

To fry them:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan or karai over medium heat till it is hot.
2. Add 6-8 vadas slowly into the hot oil.
3. Let them fry for a few minutes without disturbing them.
4. Then using a slotted spoon, slowly flip them over.
5. Fry till they are nice and crunchy and light golden brown.
6. Remove the fried vadas and place them on a kitchen tissue roll so that the extra oil can be absorbed by it
7. Repeat steps 2-6 with the remaining vadas.
8. Serve sabudana vadas with the yogurt coconut chutney or your favourite chutney.

To make them in an appe pan:

1. When you roll the mixture for the appe pan, do not flatten them. Leave them round.
2. Heat an appe pan over low medium heat.
3. Add a drop of oil into each of the cavity.
4. Put the rolled balls in each cavity.
5. Cover the pan.
6. Let the vadas cook for 5 minutes.
7. Take the cover off and turn the vadas.
8. Add a drop of oil into each cavity again.
9. Cook the vadas till they are light golden brown.
10. Serve immediately with chutney.

Tips:

• Add red chilli powder if you like. This will make the vada mixture a bit reddish. 
• If you add less sabudana, the vadas will not turn out very crunchy.
• I used the medium size sabudana for these vadas.
• You can roll the vadas into any size you prefer. Some of the street stalls sell large ones.

You may want to check out the following:

paneer lauki kofta curry made using an appe pan

mogo bhajia made in an appe pan

panchmel vadas made in an appe pan