Sabudana vada recipe | How to make sabudana vada | Sabudana ki tikki | Shabu vada recipe

Sabudana vada recipe is known by different names in different regions of India. It is also referred as shabu vada, sabakki vada or sabudana tikki. In few parts of south India, it is also referred as saggubiyyam vadalu. Outside India, in many places it is known as sago vada or as tapioca pearl fritters. But many of us are not much aware of sabudana or sago. In fact, many of my friends never used sabudana in culinary but after having Sabudana vada in Navaratri festival they utterly loved it. In fact, they took all the details of the recipe.

What is Sabudana?

Sabudana is a starch extracted from tapioca roots which is commercially produced in the form of pearls in different sizes. It is used to prepare myriad sweet and savoury dishes like sweet pudding, falooda, pancakes, soup, savoury cakes, pilaf, beverages, papad etc.

Though it is low in nutrient, but it is very high in carbohydrate. It makes you feel full for longer. So, sabudana is consumed during fasting.

In many countries other than India, sabudana is consumed as a regular staple in their regular diet. But before cooking sabudana, it needs to be soaked in water for few hours to let it get rehydrated.

Types of Sabudana

Generally, sabudana comes in three different sizes – small, medium and large. The smaller one is used to prepare sabudana kheer or for sabu makha. I have used the medium sized sabudana for the sabudana vada recipe which is easily available in stores. According to me, this variety works best for the recipe.

Sabudana vada recipe is a very simple and easy recipe which requires minimal ingredients to get prepared. The ingredients used for the recipe are regularly used in Indian culinary. The difficulty level of preparing this recipe is low. In fact, it could be a perfect recipe for beginners. If you soak the sabudana in advance, then it gets prepared very quickly which makes it a perfect snack for guests.

Vrat ka khana

In Hindu religion, there are few rules and regulations for food during vrats and upvaas. Few people do nirjala upavas where they don’t even sip water before completing puja. Few people only consume fruits, few only take liquids like tea, milk, fruit juice and few take a single meal on a day. People follow the rules according to their own rituals.

But there are few things which are strictly prohibited during Navaratri vrats like onion, garlic, lentils, normal salt, wheat etc. But one thing which is hugely used during vrats is sago. So, it is considered as one of the best options for fasting food when whole grains are not allowed to be consumed.

This sabudana vada recipe that I have prepared is for vrat. So, I have used sendha namak aka rock salt for the recipe instead of normal salt. I have used ginger, cumin seeds or coriander leaves in this sabudana tikki recipe. But for many people few of these items are forbidden during vrats. So, you can omit those ingredients from the recipe.

Sabudana vada recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share all my tips and tricks to prepare a perfectly crispy and fluffy sabudana ki tikki.

Frequently asked questions

Why my sabudana vada soaks so much oil?

This problem mostly occurs because of the temperature of the oil for frying the sabudana vada. When the oil is cold or not hot enough, the vadas soak excess oil during the time of frying.

Why my sabudana vada are uncooked from inside?

If the temperature of the oil for deep frying the sabudana vada is too high, then the vadas get brown from outside quickly but they won’t get cook from the centre.

Can I skip peanuts from sabudana vada due to nut allergy?

You can skip peanuts from the recipe if you are allergic. Instead of peanut you can use almond too.

Are sabudana vada gluten free?

Sabudana vada are completely gluten free. It is a perfect high curb snack recipe.

Are sabudana vada vegan?

This sabudana vada recipe is 100% vegan.

Can I bake sabudana vada?

Yes, you can bake the sabudana vada in oven and even fry them in air fryer. But the best way of preparing sabudana ki tikki is to deep fry them. Deep fried vada always give best texture.

How can I reheat sabudana vada?

The best way to reheat the sabudana vada is using oven. Preheat the oven at 180°C/ 160°C Fan for 10 minutes and then heat the sabudana vada at the middle of the oven for 6-8 minutes. The vadas will become crunchy once again.

Don’t heat the sabudana vada in microwave. It makes the vada chewy. Don’t fry the sabudana vada on gas top it will make them oily and overcooked.

Can I freeze sabudana vada?

You can deep fry the sabudana vada moderately till 70%-75% and allow them to come to room temperature. Then keep them in a zip lock bag or airtight container and freeze them for upto 2 months. Deep fry the frozen vadas directly. Don’t need to thaw them.

Why does my sabudana vada break?

If there is excess moisture in the sabudana vada mixture either due to over soaking of sabudana or mushy boiled potatoes it breaks during the time of frying. To instantly fix this problem, you can add one tablespoon of all-purpose flour or rice flour into the mixture. If you are preparing the sabudana vada for vrat then you can use kuttu ka atta aka buckwheat flour for the recipe.

Tips and tricks to prepare perfect sabudana vada

How to make sabudana vada?

To prepare the sabudana vada, first wash the sabudana for couple of times until the water gets clear and then soak it in water for 5-6 hours or for overnight. Then strain the sabudana to drain the excess water.

On the other hand, boil a potato till al dente, peel it and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours. Then grate the boiled potato and keep it aside.

Dry roast peanut over medium flame for few minutes and transfer them on a plate to cool down. Take peanut into the small jar of a grinder and pulse it to coarsely ground texture.

Then in a large mixing bowl, add soaked sabudana, grated potato, coarsely grind peanuts, chopped coriander leaves, grated ginger or ginger paste, finely chopped green chillies, cumin seeds, salt, sugar lemon juice and mix all the ingredients nicely. But don’t mash the sabudana during the time of mixing.

Divide the mixture into equal portions and make flat disc shaped patties with the help of your hands. Don’t make the patty too thick or else it won’t get cooked from inside.

Take a pan and add enough oil to deep fry the patties. Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small portion of the mixture into the oil. If it floats up, then the temperature of the oil is perfect to fry the sabudana ki tikki.

Don’t overcrowd the pan and fry the vada over medium flame. Fry them till crispy golden brown and then take them out on a tissue lined plate.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Sabudana (Tapioca Pearl)
• ¾ cup Water, to soak the Sabudana
• 2 medium Potatoes
• ¼ cup Peanuts
• 3-4 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Ginger, grated or paste
• 1 tablespoon green Chilli, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt, according to taste
• ½ Lemon or 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• Oil to deep fry the Sabudana vada

1. Wash ½ cup of sabudana properly in ample amount of water for couple of times. Rub the sabudana gently with fingers and wash out the excess powdered starch.
   
   
   

2. Soak ½ cup sabudana in ¾ cup of water in a bowl for overnight or at least for 6 hours.
   

3. Check the sabudana next day with finger test by mashing the pearl with your index finger and thumb. If it gets mashed, then it’s done. If not, then sprinkle some more water and soak it for another couple of hours.
   
   

4. Drain the soaked sabudana with the help of a strainer to get rid of the excess moisture from it. Keep the sabudana aside.
   

5. On the other hand, take a pan and add ¼ cup peanuts into it.
   

6. Dry roast the peanuts over medium flame for couple of minutes and keep them aside on a plate to cool down.
7. Take the roasted peanut into the jar of a grinder and pulse them to a coarsely ground powder. Keep it aside.
   
   

8. Wash 2 potatoes and put them in the pressure cooker with enough water. Close the lid of the cooker and cook them over medium flame till 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to release pressure. Cook the potatoes till al dente not mushy.
   

9. Let the potatoes cool down till touchable and peel the skin off. Put the potatoes into refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
10. Then grate the potatoes and keep them aside.
    
    

11. Take a large mixing bowl and add stained sabudana (step 4) into the bowl.
    

12. Then add grated potato (step 10) and coarsely grind peanuts (Step 7) into the bowl.
    

13. Add 3-4 tablespoons coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt one by one into the bowl.
    

14. Mix all the ingredients nicely with the help of hand but don’t mash the sago aka tapioca pearls.
    

    Note: If you fill the mixture is too moist then you can add 1 tablespoon of kuttu ka atta aka buckwheat flour into the mixture.
    

15. Divide the sabudana vada mixture into 12 equal portions and make balls.
    

16. Flatten them into patties with the help of your palms by pressing the ball. Place the patty on a plate and fix the side cracks of it with fingers by pressing them towards the centre. Repeat the process and shape the other patties.
    

    Note: Don’t shape the patty too thick or else it won’t get cooked from inside. Don’t make too thin patty then it may break during the time of frying.
    

17. Put a pan on flame and add enough oil to deep fry the sabudana vada. Put the flame on medium and wait until the oil is moderately hot.
    

18. To check the moisture of the mixture, drop a small portion of the sabudana vada mixture into the moderately hot oil. If it comes up properly then the vada mixture is perfect but if it breaks, then the mixture might be over moist. Add either some extra boiled potato or 1 tablespoon kuttu ka atta into the mixture. If you are not preparing it for vrat then you can add rice flour instead of kuttu ka atta. I suggest checking this step before shaping the sabudana tikki.
    
    

19. Add the patties carefully into the pan and fry them over medium flame. Don’t overcrowd the pan or else the vada won’t get cooked perfectly.
    

20. After 1-2 minutes when the vadas become golden and firm, flip them and cook the other side. But don’t flip them before they become firm or else, they may break.
    

21. Fry them evenly over medium flame till crispy golden brown.
    Note: Don’t cook the sabudana vada over high flame or else they won’t get cooked from inside and don’t cook them over low flame too as they will soak more oil.
    
22. Strain the sabudana vada and put them on a tissue lined plate.
    
    

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