Sabudana/Sago Pearls Vada- Gluten free snack

Sabudana/Sago Pearls Vada

Vadas are crispy fried snacks perfect for munching at tea time with hot tea. Combine it with any kind of spicy or sweet chutney/sauce, vada is a delightful savory snack. In South India vadas are also served for breakfast. I often make parippu vada and uzhunnu vada, both made identically by grinding lentils and deep-fried into crispy golden fitters.

This is the first time I am making Sabudana/sago/tapioca pearls/chowari vadas and found that they are relatively easy to make.Sabudana Vada/tikkis is a Maharashtrian snack usually made and served during festivals and vrats or fasting. The best part of this recipe is that it is a vegan gluten-free snack. This recipe also calls for roasted peanuts. It adds an extra crunch. I got this recipe idea from Vah chef youtube channel. I instantly fell in love this these vadas, especially its spicy and crispy crust.

Back home we only used sabudana/sago to make puddings or payasam. So for me, sago was only for desserts. But there is a whole range of savory recipes that can be made with sago/tapioca pearls. Now, these beautiful white pearls is a must-have in my pantry. I use them for breakfast, snacks, salads, and desserts. So if you are looking for economical ways to feed a family and still have various recipes, stock up on sabudana/sago. Now coming to this recipe, these vadas can be eaten anytime and at all times and tastes best when freshly made. Warm vadas have a crispy crunch to it that you will surely love. It has a taste all to its own and is quite addictive. Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it.

Sago Pearls/ tapioca pearls

About the ingredients..

Sago/tapioca pearls need to be washed before soaking it. You need to soak it for 5-6 hours. I found some recipes which call for soaking overnight. But I feel 5-6 hours will be enough. It will become soft but still hold shape and won't be mushy.
This recipe also calls for potatoes. You can use either raw potato or cooked ones.
Now coming to spice tolerance, you can use either chilly powder or just finely chopped green chilly.
Peanuts add a crunch to the vadas, but it is optional.
For detailed recipe keep reading...

How to make Sabudana Vada

Cooking time- 25 minutes
Cuisine- Indian
Recipe type- snack
Serves - 6

Ingredients
Sago pearls- 1 cup
Potato- 1 large
Green chilly- 2
Chili powder- 3/4 tsp
Green Chili- 2
Shallot- 2 chopped
Ginger- 1inch thick
Fennel seeds - a pinch
Hing- a pinch
Curry leaves- a few
Chopped coriander leaves- 3 tbs
salt to taste
Oil for frying-1 cup

To make Sabudana Vada:

Wash and rinse the sago. In a large bowl add 4 cups of water and soak sago pearls/sabudana for at least 5 hours. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Wash and peel potatoes and using a grater finely shred it and add to the soaked and drained sabudana.
If it is boiled potato mash and add to the sago.
Finely chop green chilly, shallots, ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Now add this along with chilly powder, hing and fennel seeds. Make sure all ingredients are well combined.
Heat oil in a frying pan or a heavy bottom pan.
Take lemon sizes balls of the mixture and flatten it in between your palm in the form of small thin patties. Make thin even patties for even frying. Carefully slide into the hot oil, after a minute reduces the heat to medium. Otherwise, it will crispy on the outside, but the inside will not be fully cooked. When one side turns a golden brown flip and turn and fry till both sides become evenly browned up. Remove from oil to a paper napkin. Serve with tea.