Sabudana Vada
साबुदाणा वडा
Sabudana Vada is Maharashtra's most beloved fasting snack — deep-fried, crispy, golden patties made from soaked sago (tapioca pearls) bound with mashed potato and crushed roasted peanuts, seasoned with green chilli, coriander, and cumin seeds. The exterior is gloriously crunchy and golden while the inside is soft, sticky, and mildly flavoured. Like its khichdi cousin, it is consumed during fasting periods (Navratri, Ekadashi) when regular grains and most spices are avoided. But its extraordinary texture makes it irresistible even outside fasting — many roadside stalls across Maharashtra serve it as a regular street snack with coconut chutney. The peanuts are absolutely essential — they provide both binding and that distinctive crunch and nuttiness.
- Total
- 4 hr 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Prep 4 hr · Cook 20 min
Ingredients
Method
Soak sabudana: Wash sabudana until water runs clear. Spread in a bowl and add just enough water to barely cover (about 5mm above the pearls). Cover and soak for 4–6 hours or overnight. The pearls should absorb all the water and be soft but not mushy. Press a pearl between fingers — it should flatten easily with no gritty raw centre. Drain any remaining water.
About 4 hr
Tip: Under-soaked sabudana will be hard inside after frying. Properly soaked pearls flatten when pressed.
Make the vada mixture: In a large bowl, combine the soaked sabudana, mashed potato, coarsely ground roasted peanuts, green chilli, cumin seeds, fresh coriander, lime juice, and salt. Mix well. The mixture should hold together when pressed into a patty — if too sticky, add a little more ground peanut. Shape into round, flat patties (about 7–8cm diameter, 1.5cm thick). You should get about 12–14 vadas.
About 10 min
Tip: The mixture should not be too wet. If the sabudana was well-soaked and drained, the mixture usually holds together well without any binder.
Fry: Heat oil to 165°C. Gently slide 3–4 vadas into the oil. Fry without disturbing for 3 minutes until the underside sets and turns golden. Flip carefully and fry for another 3 minutes until both sides are golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with coconut chutney, green chutney, or yogurt.
About 20 min
Tip: Do not flip too early — the vada needs 3 minutes to set its crust before it can be turned without breaking.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 390 mg
Contains: peanuts
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Recipe by Boon Tools.