Recipe: Kunal Kapoor's Sabudana Vada

The month of Shravan is incomplete without a plate of crispy, deep-fried Sabudana Vadas. Like Sabudana Khichdi, this is a simple breakfast recipe, but the challenge is to get the texture of the soaked sabudana or sago pearls right, or else the vadas will be chewy and Chef Kunal Kapoor tells you how.

If you're making the dish for your kids, try adding cheese cubes as they will love it. Of course, you can always serve it with their favourite ketchup instead of sweet dahi and green chutney. Or else have with imli chutney.

Hailing from New Delhi, Chef Kapoor trained in Chandigarh and worked with the Taj and Leela hotel chains, before striking out on his own. He has cooked for government summmits and a whole range of dignitaries, including a special satvik meal for Prime Minister Narendra S Modi and then German chancellor Angela Merkel in Bengaluru in 2015.

Sabudana Vada

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup sabudana or sago pearls
• 1 cup boiled, peeled, mashed potatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
• 1 sprig curry pattas or leaves, torn
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp kuttu ka atta or buckwheat flour
• 1 cup peanuts, roasted, halved or roughly chopped
• 2-3 cheese cubes, optional
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Oil, for deep frying the vadas
• Sendha namak or rock salt to taste, around 1 tsp

To serve

• Sweet dahi or yoghurt
• Green chutney or imli chutney
• Ketchup

Method

• Wash the sago pearls in running water until the water runs clear.
  Soak in a bowl of water for 4 to 6 hours or till soft enough to split when pressed.
  Drain the excess water, using a sieve and transfer the sabudana into a large bowl.
  Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil.
  Mix well.
  If using the cheese cubes, add them in now.
  Using your hands, roll the sabudana vada dough into 2-inch diameter balls.
  Flatten each and keep aside on a plate.
  Heat the oil in a kadhai or frying pan over medium high heat.
  In batches, gently slide the vadas in the hot oil and deep fry, flipping occasionally, until golden brown.
  Drain onto a paper towel or tissue-lined plate.
  Serve hot with green chutney, sweet dahi or ketchup or imli chutney.

Editor's Note: Make your own green chutney. Use Lahu Kapduskar's recipe for Green Mint Chutney.

For imli chutney, try Chef Pankaj Bhadouria's recipe.

Chef Kunal Kapoor is a restaurateur, author and former host and judge of MasterChef India. This recipe is kind courtesy Saffola Oils.

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