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Sabudana Vada Three Ways: Crispy, Air-Fried, and Guilt-Free Appe Pan Magic!
4.7 from 96 votes

Sabudana Vada Three Ways: Crispy, Air-Fried, and Guilt-Free Appe Pan Magic!

Sabudana Vada combines soaked pearl tapioca with mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, cumin, green chili, and spices to form small patties or balls. These are traditionally deep-fried until crisp, but this recipe also shows air-frying and cooking in an appe pan for variations. The vadas are crunchy outside with a soft, chewy inside, served often with a peanut yogurt chutney that adds cooling spice and sweetness.

Prep Time
4 hrs
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
Calories: 387 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sabudana (best bought from Indian stores)
  • 2 yellow potatoes 2 cups mashed potatoes, medium
  • ½ cup peanuts roasted and ground
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1 teaspoon green chilies crushed
  • ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder optional
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil or more oil for deep frying, generic cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro optional, chopped
Chutney Ingredients
  • 1 cup PLAIN yogurt
  • ¼ cup peanuts roasted and ground
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse sabudana and drain all the water. Add 1 cup of water and allow the sabudana to soak for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
  2. Steam, peel, and mash the potatoes.Note: I prefer using the Instant Pot to steam the potatoes. To do this, add 1 cup of water to the stainless steel insert, place the trivet inside, and set the medium-sized potatoes on top of the trivet. Pressure cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, and allow the pressure to release naturally. Be sure to let the potatoes cool completely before mashing them for the best texture.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the soaked sabudana, mashed potatoes, peanuts, cumin, green chili, red chili powder, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, salt, and sugar. Gently knead the mixture with your hands until everything is well blended. Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and shape it into a ball. Makes about 22 vada.
  4. The ball-shaped vadas are perfect for Appe Pan. If you are deep frying or air frying, gently press each ball between your palms to form 2-inch flat discs, smoothing the edges by lightly pressing as you shape them for an even finish
Traditional Frying Method
  1. Heat oil for frying in a medium frying pan. Once the oil has heated well, add 2 to 3 flattened Sabudana Vadas to the oil and fry them on low-medium heat until the outside of the vadas are light golden brown and crisp
  2. Note: flattened sabudana vadas work best for deep frying giving the best crispy texture. Be careful and keep a safe distance from the pan as sometimes the individual sabudana pearls may burst in the oil splattering oil out of the fry pan
Using Airfryer
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 390 F. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil.
  2. Place 4 to 6 vadas at a time in the basket with some space between each. Airfry the Vada for 8 minutes at 390 F.
  3. Carefully flip the vadas in the air fryer basket using tongs. Brush the tops with a little more oil, then continue air frying for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Using paniyaram/aebleskiver pan
  1. Heat the paniyaram/aebleskiver pan on medium low heat. Add a few drops of oil in each round section. Place the round vada balls in each section and cook covered for 4-5 minutes.
  2. Gently flip the vadas using a chopstick or small spoon to cook the other side. Drizzle a few more drops of oil on top of each vada. The vadas in the center tend to cook faster, so flip them first. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes on medium-low heat until they turn golden brown and crispy.
Make the Chutney
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, ground peanuts, red chili powder, sugar and salt to make the chutney
  2. Serve the sabudana vada hot with this sweet and spicy chutney

Nutrition Information

Calories 387kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 6mg (2%) Sodium 1444mg (60%) Potassium 535mg (11%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 167IU (3%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 113mg (11%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 387

% Daily Value*

Calories 387kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 1444mg 60%
Potassium 535mg 11%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 167IU 3%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 113mg 11%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.