Learn How To Make Crispy Sabudana Vada In A Pressure Cooker
Image Credit: Sabudana Vada | Image Credit: Freepik

What is Sabudana Vada?

Sabudana Vada is a deep-fried snack that originated in Maharashtra, India. It is a popular dish during fasting days and is served as an evening snack. Sabudana Vada is made with soaked sabudana or tapioca pearls, mashed boiled potatoes, ground peanuts, green chillies, ginger, and various spices. If you prepare to eat it during the fast, you can make changes, such as using pink salt instead of regular salt. The mixture is then shaped by hands into small patties and deep-fried until crispy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Sabudana (tapioca pearls)
  • 2 medium-sized potatoes
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts
  • 2-3 green chillies (finely chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
  • Oil for frying

Recipe for making Sabudana Vada in Pressure Cooker

 ASIN ID - B00JWMTZ3U    

  • Step 1: Soak the sabudana in enough water for 4-5 hours or overnight. Once the Sabudana is soaked, drain the excess water, and keep it aside.
  • Step 2: Pressure cook potatoes for two whistles to boil them. Peel and grate the boiled potatoes, and you can also crush them. 
  • Step 3: In a mixing bowl, add soaked sabudana, grated potatoes, crushed peanuts, green chillies, ginger paste, cumin seeds, salt, red chilli powder, lemon juice, and chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything well. Mixing using hands is recommended to ensure that everything is properly mixed. At this stage, also check for the seasoning. If anything is a miss, then add it. 
  • Step 4: Grease your palms with oil and make small balls from the mixture. Flatten them slightly with the help of your palms to form patties. Round is the conventional shape for the vadas. 
  • Step 5: Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add the sabudana patties in batches and fry until golden brown. 
  • Step 6: Remove the vadas from the pressure cooker using a slotted spoon gently and place them on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
  • Step 7: Serve hot with mint or sweet and sour tamarind chutney.

Tips for Making Sabudana Vada


  • Ensure to rinse the sabudana thoroughly or at least three times to remove excess starch.
  • Soak the sabudana properly and drain the excess water to avoid the vadas from being soggy.
  • Make sure that you fry sabudana vada in batches. If you add too many at the same time, then the temperature of the oil will drop and sabudana vada will soak up too much oil. Ultimately, they will not only lose their flavour but also their crunchy texture. 
  • The consistency of the mixture should be sticky but not too wet. Add some bread crumbs if the sabudana vada mixture is too wet.
  • Grease the pressure cooker well to prevent the sabudana vada from sticking to the bottom.
  • Cook the sabudana vada on medium flame to prevent burning.
  • You can also add ginger, garlic, and chilli paste to the vada. 
  • Ensure that the potatoes are crushed properly. If there are lumps, then vadas won't hold their shape while frying. Also, crush the roasted peanuts and keep them aside.
  • You can also add rice flour or cornstarch to bind everything properly. For fasting, replace rice flour with sattu ka atta. 

Sabudana vada is a delicious and crispy snack that is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Making it in a pressure cooker is an easier alternative, as everything is done in the same pot. With the help of this recipe and tips, you can make sabudana vada in a pressure cooker and enjoy it with your family.