Mahashivratri 2025: How to make the best Sabudana Vada for your fast

1. Rinse Sabudana:
   • Use a colander or mesh strainer to rinse 1 cup of sabudana lightly twice, draining all the water.
2. Soak Sabudana:
   • Soak the sabudana in water for at least 5 hours or overnight. Properly soaked sabudana will be tender without any hard centre.
3. Check Sabudana:
   • Press the pearls between your forefinger and thumb; they should get mashed easily. If there is hardness in the center, soak for some more time.
4. Drain Sabudana:
   • Drain all the water thoroughly. Ensure there is no water logged in the soaked pearls.

Cooking Potatoes

1. Scrub and Rinse Potatoes:
   • Scrub and rinse 4 medium-sized potatoes thoroughly in water.
2. Cook Potatoes (Stove-top Pressure Cooker):
   • Place the potatoes in a 3-litre cooker. Add water to cover the potatoes.
   • Pressure cook potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes or 4 to 5 whistles on medium heat.
   • Check if the potatoes are cooked by passing a knife or fork through the centre.
3. Cook Potatoes (Pan):
   • Take water in a pan and add peeled and chopped potatoes. Cover the potatoes with water.
   • Add 2 to 3 pinches of salt, cover, and simmer until fork tender.
   • Drain the water well.
4. Cook Potatoes (Instant Pot):
   • Place a trivet in the inner steel pot of the Instant Pot. Add 1.5 cups of water and place the rinsed potatoes on the trivet.
   • Seal the lid, position the valve to sealing, and set the time to 10 or 12 minutes with high pressure.
   • Do a quick pressure release after 5 minutes. Check if the potatoes are cooked until tender.
5. Cool and Mash Potatoes:
   • Let the potatoes cool. Peel and chop or mash them.

Roasting Peanuts

1. Roast Peanuts:
   • On a skillet or in a shallow pan, roast the groundnuts/peanuts till they become crisp and crunchy.
2. Cool and Powder Peanuts:
   • Cool the roasted peanuts and coarsely powder them in a mortar pestle or dry grinder.

Making Sago Mixture

1. Mix Ingredients:
   • Add the mashed potatoes and coarsely ground roasted peanuts to the sabudana in a mixing bowl.
   • Add edible rock salt, cumin seeds, sugar, ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, and lemon juice.
2. Shape Vadas:
   • Mix the entire mixture well. Take some portion of the mixture and shape it into flat round vadas or patties.

Making Sabudana Vada

1. Heat Oil:
   • Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai. Add a tiny ball made from the mixture to test the oil.
   • If it doesn’t break while frying, proceed to the next step.
   • If it breaks, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rajgira atta (amaranth flour) to the mixture and mix well.
2. Fry Vadas:
   • Gently place the vadas in the oil. Fry them on medium or medium-high heat.
   • Turn over a couple of times to fry evenly until they are crisp and golden.
3. Drain Excess Oil:
   • Remove the vadas with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Your Sabudana Vadas are ready! Serve these Sabudana Vadas hot or warm along with chutney made from fast-friendly ingredients!