DESCRIPTION:

Sabudana vada, also called 'sago vada', is a traditional deep fried snack from Maharashtra, India. It is often served with spicy green chutney and along with hot chai and is best eaten fresh. In other parts of the country, Sabudana vada are the best option to have when fasting. Therefore, this filling and nutritious snack is served usually during religious festivals and during fast/vrat/upvaas especially in Navratri vrats. Like all vadas, these are best eaten fresh. Sabudana vadas are crunchy and "melt in the mouth."

During the monsoon season, it is popular to eat bhajias/pakoras (fried snack) with a cup of adrak chai (ginger tea). One such monsoon special crispy fried preparation is sabudana vada. Although it is deep fried, it is sumptuous and light. It is also eaten on days of fasting in Maharashtra for e.g., Chaturthi etc.

PREPERATION

Preperation time: 3 hrs
Cooking time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS:

-½ cup sabudana
-2 medium potatoes cubed 
-¼ cup peanuts
-1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
-½ tsp cumin/ jeera
-1 to 2 green chilies chopped
-powdered rock salt as needed
-1.5 tsps lemon juice

STEPS:

1. Properly wash and soak half cup sabudana in water for about 3 to 4  hours.
2. When they are almost double in size after soaking, drain the water completely.
3. Dry roast 1/4 cup peanuts until golden.
4. Bring them at room temperature and remove their skins. In a blender blend them coarsely.
5. Take 2 medium size potatoes and boil them in a pressure cooker ( they should not get mushy ). When boiled, let them cool and then peel off their skins and mash them in a pot.
6. In a bowl add sabudana, ground peanuts, mashed potato, jeera, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice, powdered rock salt and mix everything well.
7. Make 10 to 12 equal sized balls out of the mixture.
8. Gently press these balls and flatten them into the shape of a vada. Place these vadas on a plat and keep them aside.
9. Now heat some oil in a pan, just enough to deep fry.
10. When the oil becomes hot enough to fry these vadas, then add these vada one by one and fry them from each side untill they turn golden brown in color.
11. Once done drain all the excess oil from the vadas with the help of a kitchen towel or kitchen tissue paper.

Serve them hot with some green chutney.

Serving: 10-12 vadas