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| Sabudana Na Vada |
Sabudana is the Indian term for tapioca. Sabudana Na Vada is a dish traditionally eaten on days when a person is fasting from grains since it uses potatoes and rice flour instead of wheat flour. However, it has been one of my favourite foods since childhood. They may have a high starch content, but they’re so delicious, that it’s worth it.
Recently, I read an article in The New York Times about a famous place Sabudana Na Vada near Mumbai, India. One small, local shopkeeper has perfected the recipe to the point that, so far, no one can duplicate it. I recently received some sabudana as a treat from my cousin’s mother and I loved them so much that I had to share the recipe with my readers.
For the most authentic experience, you can make this dish with Sago, a starch extracted from palm stems and most frequently sold in the form of pearls. In Africa, sago is eaten almost every day and in Brazil, I have tasted sago pancakes for breakfast.
If sago proves difficult to find, you can easily use tapioca, which is easy to find in any American grocery store.
Sabudana Na Vada
Cooking Difficulty Level: Medium
Cooking Time: One Hour
Ingredients:
| 1 | Cup | Sabudana or Sago Pearls |
| 2 | Medium Potatoes | |
| 1 | Tsp | Green Chili Paste |
| 1 | Tsp | Grated Ginger |
| 1 | Tsp | Sugar |
| 1 | Tsp | Lemon Juice |
| 1 | Cup | Ground Peanuts |
| 1 | Tsp | Cumin Seeds |
| 3 | TBsp | Rice Flour |
| Salt to taste | ||
| Frying Oil |
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| Soaked Sabudana |
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| Ready For Frying |
How to Prepare:
- Cover Sabudana with water in a bowl and soak for one hour.
- After an hour, spread it on a towel so any excess water will drain.
- Boil potatoes and then mash them.
- Mix boiled potatoes, sabudana, ground peanuts, and spices.
- If the consistency is right, it will form a dough. It should make almost 10-12 balls. If it does not form into balls, pieces of bread can be added (but then it is not gluten-free). You can also add a little rice flour.
- Roll the balls into rice flour and deep fry them in vegetable oil at medium heat.
- Enjoy!!!
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| Delicious with Green and Red Chutney |