Sabudana Vada Recipe in Appe Pan, Low Oil (No Deep-Fry) Version | Sago Vada

Continuing my journey to explore Maharashtrian cuisine, I’m here today to share another traditional and favourite Maharashtrian dish Sabudana Vada Recipe in Appe pan also called Sago Vada. Sabudana vadas are delicious snacks that are traditionally deep-fried, which is why I avoid making them. But today, I have an awesome low oil (no deep-fry) version giving the cooking process a healthy twist – a great way to indulge without any guilt !! Btw…I had also shared a healthy baked option to prepare Maharashtran Bhakarwadis…Do have a look!!

I always love collecting kitchen utensils, appliances and tools or anything that is fancy, this was even before my blogging journey started. One such utensil I’m very fond of in my kitchen, is my non-stick Appe pan or Paniyaram pan. I love it to the hilt because I not only make different kinds of paniyaram but also try to replicate some traditional snacks, low oil kofthas and many snacks which are otherwise deep-fried. Isn’t this awesome?

Sabudana vada Recipe was one such experiment and I was delighted with the result. In fact, they were all gone even before I could click and I had to forcefully save some vadas for my pictures. Though this method takes slightly longer than deep-frying, it’s worth the time and effort!!

Sabudana vada Recipe is extremely simple and it makes a good after school snack or as a fritter to enjoy during monsoons!!  Just imagine it’s raining outside, you are enjoying rain with a cup of hot ginger tea in one hand and binging on the vadas with the other!! They are crunchy and simply melt in the mouth leaving the stomach full and the tongue craving for more……Trust me…you just lose the count.

In the Indian tradition there are times when many devout hindus fast. The food that is taken during fasting does not contain onions, garlic, wheat products, lentils or pulses. This is a very good fasting recipe (Sabudana Vrat Recipe). Well, it is not compulsory to have these divine creations only with an excuse of fast, they are so good that you can enjoy them for any occasion or just as an evening snack.

Soaked sabudana/sago/tapioca pearls are mixed with boiled potato, toasted peanuts and a few herbs and spices, shaped into balls or patties and deep-fried or fried in an Appe pan or just shallow fried in a pan with very little oil. They are brilliantly crunchy on the outside and a soft savoury deliciousness on the inside…Full of taste and none of the guilt !!

Here goes my Sabudana Vada Recipe!!

Step-by-Step process to make Sabudana Vada recipe:

• Rinse sabudana or sago and place it in a bowl with a cup of water. Cover and keep it aside. After about an hour sago should have soaked up most of the water. Stir it once and if it is dry sprinkle some more water, if not cover and keep aside for another 2-3 hours (depending on the size of sago). Do not let it dry out completely. It should be moist.
• Meanwhile boil potatoes.

• When boiled potatoes are cool enough to handle peel and discard the skin, cut it into cubes or mash it.
• To this add cumin seeds.

• Mince green chillies, grate ginger, finely chop coriander and add them all to the mashed potato.

• After the soaking time, squeeze out any excess water from soaked sabudane/sago and add it to the above mixture.
• To this add red chilli powder.

• Now add coarsely ground roasted peanuts, lime juice, required salt and mix all the ingredients.
• Using your hands squeeze the mixture together to get the juices to bind the mixture together.
• This will help you to form round lime sized balls out of the mixture. Form the balls and set aside.

• Heat the Appe pan over medium high heat and add a few drops of oil in each of the wells.
• Toss in the small balls of the sabudana mixture in each of the wells. Be careful, it will sizzle and may splatter.

• Cover it with a lid and cook for a minute and when the underside begins to brown turn the vada to the other side.
• Flip the balls over and allow to cook on all sides evenly. Sprinkle in some more oil drops at intervals, only if needed or if the sago balls are sticking to the sides of the pan, which usually is not the case. They cook pretty fast and takes around 2-3 mins on each side.

• As it cooks, continue to turn it until all sides are completely brown.

• Serve it hot with groundnut chutney or tomato ketchup. Sabudana Vada is also served with sweet yogurt in Maharashtra and this combination tastes great. To make the sweet yoghurt, you will just need to add some sugar to the yoghurt and mix it. Sabudana vada with a hot cup of ginger tea made my day!!

Print Recipe

Sabudana Vada Recipe in Appe Pan, Low Oil (No Deep-Fry) Version | Sago Vada

Summary: Sabudana Vada Recipe in appe pan is the low oil version of the vada, which is basically a deep-fried snack. This way you can indulge in some guilt-free treat!!

Prep Time3 hours hrs

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Snacks / Appitisers / Fasting recipe

Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtrian)

Servings: 3 to 4

Author: Padma

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sago or Sabudana tapioca pearls
• 2 to 3 medium potatoes
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 2 to 3 green Chillies minced
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 5-6 sprigs coriander finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
• ½ Cup roasted peanuts coarsely ground
• 2 teaspoon lime juice optional
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• Salt to taste
• Required Oil to cook the Vadas in Appe pan

Instructions

• Rinse the sago and soak in enough water for at least 2 to 3 hours.
• Boil the potatoes, peel and mash them.
• To this add rest of the ingredients except oil and mix well.
• Squeeze out any excess water from soaked sabudana/sago and add it to the above mixture.
• Make round lime sized balls out of the mixture.
• Heat the Appe pan over medium high heat and add a few drops of oil in each of the wells.
• Toss in the small balls of the sabudana mixture in each of the wells.
• Cover it and cook for a minute and when the underside begins to brown turn the vada to the other side.
• Flip the balls over and allow it to cook on all sides evenly. Sprinkle in some more oil at intervals, only if needed or if the sago balls are sticking to the sides of the pan.
• As it cooks, continue to turn it until all sides are completely brown.
• Serve it hot with groundnut chutney, sweet yoghurt or tomato ketchup.

Notes

1. Adjust spices to suit your taste buds.
2. The Sabudana/Sago has to be really soaked well. The sago should be very soft.
3. The water needs to be drained well from the sago. Use a seive or a colander to drain the water. If there is moisture in the mixture, then the sabudana vadas will not hold their shape and they will become soggy from inside.
4. If you do not have an appe/paniyaram pan, you can shape like tikkis and shallow fry the vadas in a pan with little oil.
5. If you want the sabudana vadas to be crisp from outside, you need to brown them a little more on low heat.
6. I have used roasted peanuts. If the peanuts are not roasted, then you need to roast them.

Check out other popular Snack Recipes from blog.

Many more to come!!….Stay Tuned!!

Happy Cooking 🙂

Cheers!!

Padma.