Sabudana Vada is a mildly spicy, super flavorful, perfectly crispy snack that can be prepared in under 30 minutes! You can shallow-fry them, deep-fry them or even Air-fry them for a healthier option.
These sabudana tikkis are naturally gluten-free and vegan and make an excellent grain-free diet on fasting days, such as Navratri, Janmashtmi, and Mahashivratri.
Here is an easy and mouthwatering recipe for the ones who are fasting and are looking for an ideal Satvik diet.
Sabudana vadas are easy to prepare, and even the novice can make them comfortably following the super-easy guide provided below.
Crispy from the outside and soft from the inside, these delicious Sabudana vadas are best enjoyed with green chutney, dip, or tomato sauce.
What is sabudana
Sabudana, also known as Sago, are tiny pearl-like spears made from tapioca roots starch. It is high in carbohydrates but considerably low in vitamins and minerals.
As it is high in carbohydrates, it keeps the stomach full for longer and provides an energy boost during long fasting days.
Therefore, it is preferred as a fasting food and is used for preparing dishes like Sabudana Khichdi, Sabudana kheer, Sabudana vadas, etc., during fasting.
What is Sabudana Vada
Sabudana means tapioca pearls, and Vada is the Hindi term for cutlet; therefore, Sabudana vada means tapioca pearls cutlets.
This recipe of sabudana vada, also known as Sabudana Tikki or sabudana cutlet, is a savory dish made with sabudana, boiled and mashed potatoes, and a few flavorful herbs and spices.
Crushed peanuts add a lovely crunch and a dose of nutrition to this carbs-rich recipe.
This Maharashtrian snack can be relished as breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or a tea-time snack at any time of the year. These delightful crispy bites are kids-friendly and can also be packed in the lunch box.
Reasons You’ll ♡ Sabudana Vada
These delicacies are surprisingly easy to make and healthy to eat and are famous for their crispy deliciousness. Here are the other reasons you will love this recipe for —
- Uses common ingredients
- Excellent grain-free diet on fasting days
- A family favorite, and
- Can be enjoyed at any time of the day!
The best part, it’s a perfect make-ahead recipe. Sabudana tikkis can be prepared in advance and stored for later consumption. And being scalable, they can be prepared in a big batch and served to a crowd as well.
Sabudana Vada Ingredient List
Sabudana/ Sago pearls — Tapioca or Sabudana pearls are the chief ingredients in this recipe which give structure to the cutlets. Use fresh sabudana for the best-tasting vadas. Soaking them for 4 to 5 hrs before making vadas will make them soft and easy to cook.
Potatoes — These are added to the vadas for more volume and creaminess. Potatoes also help bind the other ingredients together in the recipe.
Peanuts — Add a fascinating nutty texture to the cutlets besides the delightful flavor and essential nutrients that make the recipe so irresistible. Almond flour can be used in place of peanuts, but then expect a difference in taste.
Green Chillies — These are added to spice up the recipe though you can add fewer or altogether skip them as your preference.
Herbs and Spices — Cilantro leaves, cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt add tons of flavor and zest to the recipe!
Oil — Oil is used for frying the cutlets. You can use any neutral flavored oil that doesn’t overpower the flavors of the other ingredients.
Recipe tips and variations
Use fresh Sabudana — Sabudana is the main ingredient that renders structure, texture, as well as taste to the vadas. Always use fresh sago pearls, as the old ones will render a stale taste, which may spoil the recipe.
Soak Sabudana — Soaking the sabudana pearls is an essential step as this ensures a successful preparation of the vadas. Soaking gives proper hydration to the sabudana, which is needed for the vadas to fry properly. If not properly hydrated, vadas will burst open in the oil. So, always soak the Sabudana for at least 4 – 5 hours or until they double in size, become fluffy, and are easy to mash when pressed between thumb and index finger. They should feel soft, with no hard part in the center.
For proper binding — Use cold potatoes for making the cutlets mixture as the starch in the cold potatoes settle once they are refrigerated. This binds them well with other ingredients in the mix and prevents them from falling apart when they are fried.
Alternative to potatoes — For those conscious about calories, you can swap potatoes with sweet potatoes for this recipe to cut back on calories.
The peanut-power — Besides adding extra crunch to the vadas, peanuts also perk up the nutrition of this recipe. Peanuts are powdered and added to the vada mix; as such, they help absorb any extra moisture.
Replace peanuts if intolerant — If you do not like peanuts or have an intolerance for them, you can omit to add them or replace them with almond flour or cashew flour.
Shaping the sticky dough — Sticky mixture will not be easy to shape into cutlets. If the vada dough feels sticky while binding, greasing your hands and then shaping them will do the trick.
Fry at best oil temperature — Always fry the vadas at medium heat. Frying them at high heat will brown them quickly while leaving the inner portion uncooked, making them taste raw and unappetizing. Likewise, frying at low heat will absorb more oil, making them soggy. Drop a small portion of the vada dough into the oil to check for the right temperature. If it gradually rises to the top, it indicates that the oil is ready for frying.
Fry in batches — Do not overcrowd the pan while frying the sabudana cutlets, as flipping will become difficult, and they may break in the process. They will also not get enough space to fry properly. Therefore, it is best to fry them in batches to give them room to get flipped easily and fry evenly.
If vadas break in oil — Vadas can break in the oil following any of these reasons- either it needs more binding or it has excess moisture. To fix this, add more potatoes to the mix or any vrat flour to it to reduce the excess moisture.
To fix the wet and sticky vada mix — You can quickly resolve the vada mix that feels sticky due to excess moisture. Add a teaspoon of gluten-free flour like kuttu flour, singhara flour, or even cornstarch. These soak away the excess moisture instantly and act as the best binding agents.
For additional flavors — This sabudana vada is a fasting recipe for vrat; therefore, it is mildly spiced. If you are not using it as a vrat recipe, feel free to add ginger powder, turmeric, and chaat masala to pump up the flavor and make it spicy and tasty.
Flavorful add-ins — Feel free to experiment with this sabudana vada recipe if you are not preparing it for fasting. Consider adding some baby spinach leaves and mashed carrots to the vada mix for a flavorful and nutritional boost!
Appe pan/ paniyaram pan Method — To prepare your sabudana vadas, first heat the appe pan/Ebleskiver pan on medium-low heat. Now, add a few drops of oil into each mold and place a sabudana vada in each cavity. Cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes. Once cooked to a golden brown hue, flip them one by one and cook again till the other side is also crisp and golden.
Let me know what you think!
Are you wondering what to serve your family as the evening snacks today? An excellent snack recipe is here with clear step-by-step instructions and the little secret tips to help you create the best sabudana vadas that your family will simply love to delight in!
Healthy, hearty, and irresistibly delectable, this recipe is a must-try! So, shall we start?
Should you make this Sabudana Vada recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY THESE OTHER NAVRATRI DELICACIES:
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to make the best Sabudana Vada Recipe
Sabudana Vada
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup Sabudana/Sago Pearls
- 2 small Potatoes boiled and peeled
- ½ cup Peanuts
- 1 tablespoon Chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon Green chilies chopped
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder optional
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- – – Salt to taste (Vrat salt – Saindha namak)
- – – Oil to cook the cutlets
INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARE SABUDANA PEARLS
- Transfer sabudana to a bowl and wash thoroughly under tap water. Drain it completely.
- Next, add just enough water to cover the sabudana. ALWAYS use a 1:1 ratio to soak sabudana as we do for sabudana khichdi.
- Allow it to soak for 4-5 hours or until the sabudana pearls are soft enough to break when pressed between your index finger and thumb. Tip — Some varieties of Sabudana may need longer to hydrate. So, leaving them soaked in water overnight will be great.
- Drain the soaked Sabudana pearls. Tip — Draining the sabudana is important — Though there will be no water in the soaked sabudana, make sure to drain it again. If it feels wet, soak the excess water on a paper towel. Excess moisture will cause the vadas to break in the oil, therefore, do not neglect this step if it seems necessary.
- Your sabudana pearls are ready for cooking. Set the soaked sabudana pearls aside.
TOAST THE PEANUTS
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add peanuts in a single layer. Do not add any oil. They have enough fat on their own. Keep stirring the peanuts frequently until they are slightly golden brown. Remove from the stove and allow it to cool comfortably.
- Now rub the peanuts between your hands and gently blow air into the pan to separate the peanuts’ skin.
- Transfer the peanuts to a grinder.
- Grind until the peanuts resemble-like breadcrumbs. Set it aside.
ASSEMBLE SABUDANA VADAS
- Place soaked sabudana in a large mixing bowl.
- Add mashed potatoes and ground peanuts. Tip — For a lump-free, smooth-textured mix, always grate the potatoes and then mash them into the mixture.
- Mix until everything is well combined.
- Now add cilantro leaves, green chilies, salt, red chili powder, and cumin powder.
- Fold it gently; take care not to break or mash the sabudana pearls.
SHAPE THE VADAS
- Grease your hands with oil. Take 3 tablespoons of sabudana mixture in your hands. Roll the mix into a ball and then gently flatten the sabudana ball. Place it on a clean plate. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture until all the vadas are formed.
FRY THE VADAS
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot enough for frying, drop 3-4 vadas in the pan, do not overcrowd the pan.
- Allow the vadas to cook over medium-low heat until golden. Now, flip and cook from the top until evenly brown.
- Once done, remove the vadas from the oil and drain them on a kitchen paper towel.
- Serve with your favorite chutney and enjoy these delicious cutlets/patties!!
COOK VADAS IN A PAN
- Heat and grease a nonstick pan over medium flame.
- Transfer cutlets/patties onto the hot pan and cook until evenly brown on both sides – turning occasionally.
COOK VADAS IN APPE PAN
- Heat the appe pan/Ebleskiver pan on medium-low heat. Now, add a few drops of oil into each mold and place a sabudana vada in each cavity. Cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes. Depending on the pan's thickness, it could take more or less time.Gently flip the top side of the patties using a chopstick or a small knife. Add a few more drops of ghee on top of each vada. Cover and cook for another 4-5 mins on medium-low heat until they are golden brown and crisp.Once cooked to a golden brown hue, remove the vadas and serve them immediately.
