Sabudana Vada Tapioca Sago Patties

Sabudana (sago or tapioca pearls) vada (patties) is not a south Indian food. It is a Bombay snack but has become very popular in Chennai. I never had it when I was growing up in Delhi. But, my mother made it when I visited her after I had moved to the US. I learned this recipe from her. 

What you will need

Sago (Sabudana or ஜவ்வரிசி or साबुदाना): 1 cup
Baking potatoes: 2
Raw peanuts: 1/2 cup
Green chillies (optional)
Ginger
Salt (to taste)
Chickpea or gram flour: 1 tablespoon
Oil for frying

1. Soak sago in water overnight. It will become spongy and puffy. Drain it completely in a sieve to remove all water.

2. Cook the potatoes till they become soft. Remove the skin and mash thoroughly.

3. Crush the peanuts coarsely.

4. Mix in sago, potatoes, peanuts, ginger, chillies, gram flour and salt.

5. Take a spoonful of the mix and flatten into a patty. 

6. Heat oil in a frying pan. When it reaches appropriate temperature. drop patties into the hot oil, two at a time.

7. Remove from heat when they turn golden on both sides and drain on a paper towel to remove extra oil.

8. Serve with mint or tamarind chutney.

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Eggless Indian Tapioca Pudding

The beauty of this tapioca pudding is that it is egg-less and it does not need baking. It is cooked right on stove top with just three ingredients: tapioca, milk and sugar. Just like that it tastes good but often it is further embellished with cashews, saffron and cardamom.

What you will need:

Tapioca, also called sago

Milk

Sugar

Cardamom pods (optional)

Saffron (optional)

Cashews (optional)

(I am not giving precise measurements for the three main ingredients. Two tablespoons of tapioca for a cup of milk will give you a fairly thick pudding. If you want yours thin, use less tapioca or more milk. Same goes for sugar.)

1. Soak the tapioca in cold water for about 30 minutes. Soaking helps it cook faster.

2. Slowly heat the milk in a thick vessel on the stove. When the milk is quite hot, add the tapioca (without the water) into the milk. 

3. Cook the tapioca in the milk in low heat. Stir the milk and tapioca frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the container.

4. As the tapioca cooks, it will lose its whiteness and turn translucent. When it is completely translucent, add sugar and other condiments, such as saffron and cardamom.

5. Remove from heat.

6. If you want, you may add cashews either raw or roasted.

Serve hot or cold. Enjoy.

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