Sabudana Vada is a traditional Indian recipe that holds a special place during the festival of Navratri. It has naturally gluten-free Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls), potatoes, peanuts, and curry leaves. This recipe is wholesome and perfect for fasting. It is quick and easy to make, tastes delicious, and gives instant energy. The best part is these are NOT DEEP-FRIED!
This Sabudana Vada recipe is healthier, saves a lot of oil, and is made in Appe Pan. With Appe Pan, you get the same texture and crispiness but with much less oil. So, let’s dive into the recipe and enjoy this tasty Navratri treat for breakfast, snack, or meal.
What is Sabudana or Tapioca Pearls?
Sabudana is a small white pearl-shaped food item made with the starch of tapioca tree roots. The starch extracted from the roots is processed into small, round pearls or granules. The Tapioca tree is also known as the cassava tree. This tree is found mostly in Southern India.
It is also known as Tapioca Pearls or Sago. Sabudana is commonly used in Indian cuisine, especially during religious fasting periods. It has a unique texture – soft and chewy with a firm center. It is often used to make Sabudana Vada, Sabudana Thalipeeth, Sabudana Khichdi, and Kheer.
How to soak and soften Sabudana or Tapioca Pearls?
Tapioca pearls are made with the starch of tapioca or cassava roots. That is why, they tend to become sticky and mushy while cooking. Soaking is an important step to remove their excess starch and soften them. Below are the steps on how to soak and soften Sabudana.
- Rinse Sabudana: Rinse Sabudana 2 to 3 times with water to remove the excess starch.
- Soak In Water: Transfer rinsed Sabudana to a large bowl and completely submerge them in water. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours to absorb water and become soft.
- Rest: Drain off the water and cover it in an air-tight container. Let it rest overnight or at least 5 to 6 hours until soft.
- Check For Softness: After soaking, check the softness by pressing a Sabudana pearl between your fingers. It should easily mash and flatten without any hard or uncooked center. If it is still hard in the center, let it rest for a little longer until fully softened. If they feel dry, sprinkle some water.
Note:
Sabudana comes in different varieties – small, medium, and large size. Because of that, the soaking time and the texture after soaking varies. Some varieties result in translucent pearls while some only become soft and expand after soaking.
What is the Navratri Festival?
Navratri (also known as Navaratri or Navrate), is a joyous Hindu festival. It is celebrated over 9 to 10 days. “Navratri” is a word from the Sanskrit language – Nav means nine and Ratri means night. This festival is celebrated two times a year, once in the spring (Chaitra Navratri) and once in the autumn (Sharad Navratri). Sharad Navratri falls during September or October and is widely celebrated all across India.
One of the main aspects of Navratri is fasting (known as Vrat or Upvas). During fasting, devotees avoid eating some foods, like grains, pulses, onions, garlic, alcohol, and non-vegetarian items. But they eat fasting food items like fruits, nuts, dairy products, etc.
What food items are allowed in Navratri?
Food items that are allowed during the Navratri season are as follows:
- Vegetables like potato, tomato, arbi, cucumber, carrot, bottle gourd, eggplant, pumpkin, etc.
- Fruits
- Dairy Products
- Coconut
- Nuts and Seeds
- Quinoa, Buckwheat, Little Millet (Samai or Samak), Water Chestnut Flour (Singhade Ka Aata).
- Spices like cumin seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cardamom, carom seeds (ajwain), cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, etc.
- Rock Salt
What food items are not allowed in Navratri?
Food items that are not allowed during the Navratri season are as follows:
- Onion and Garlic: They are Tamsik in nature and hence not consumed.
- Lentils and Pulses like moong dal, chana dal, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.
- Grains and their flours like wheat flour, gram flour (besan), etc.
- Eggs, Non-Vegetarian Food Items like chicken.
- Alcohol (some people avoid smoking too).
- Salt
- Canned Food Items
Everybody has their own beliefs and follows their own rules during the fasting period. That is why, I suggest you adjust the recipes based on how you follow your fasting and celebrate Navratri.
What is a Vada?
Vadas are deep-fried balls of potatoes, vegetables, and lentils. Different spices and herbs are also added to enhance the flavors of Vada. The ingredients are mashed together and shaped into a firm ball. The balls are then deep-fried, shallow-fried, or baked in an oven. These are also known as fritters, pakoras (pakoda), patty, or kebab.
Can we bake or air-fry Sabudana Vada?
Yes. Of course! You can bake these Sabudana Vadas or make them in the air fryer. The texture would be different and baked vadas may feel slightly dry. To bake, preheat your oven or microwave to 200°C and then bake until golden brown. It may take 12 to 15 minutes.
How can we store Sabudana Vada?
You can prepare the mixture for the Sabudana Vada and store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Can we freeze Sabudana Vada?
Yes. Of course! You can make a big batch of the mixture, shape them as needed, and then put them in the freezer on a plate first. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip-lock bag. You can freeze them for about a month (or more).
To cook, take them out of the freezer and rest for a few minutes. Then cook in Appe Pan as given in the recipe card. There is no need to thaw.
Is this recipe Vegan?
Yes. All the ingredients used in this recipe are plant-based and vegan.
Ingredients List – for your quick reference
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
More Navratri Fasting Recipes
- Sabudana Thalipeeth
- Buckwheat Cheela (Kuttu Ka Cheela)
- Amaranth (Rajgira) and Dates Energy Bars
- Sabudana Khichdi
- High Protein Quinoa Granola
Conclusion
Most of us cook deep-fried food items during the Navratri fasting time but it is unhealthy for our body. While fasting, revive and rejuvenate your body by including wholesome and nutrient-dense food. This non-fried Sabudana Vada recipe is sure to impress everyone with its irresistible flavor and wholesome ingredients. It is perfect to satisfy your cravings during the Navratri fasting or feasting season.
You can enjoy it for breakfast, a snack, or a meal. It is light, fulfilling, and gives an instant boost of energy. Grab all the ingredients and make it today.
If you try this recipe, please share your reviews in the comment section below. Do share a photo on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We love seeing your recreation of our recipes.
Happy Cooking. 🙂
Love from us,
Richa
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