The combination of crispy sabudana with the soft paneer creates a delightful contrast in texture and taste. The mild flavour of paneer complements the spices in the sabudana vada perfectly. Paneer stuffed sabudana vada is an excellent choice for festive occasions, fasting days (vrat), or special gatherings. It pairs well with various chutneys, like mint chutney, coriander, or tamarind chutney. Here’s how to make paneer stuffed sabudana vada at home:
1. Rinse sabudana under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak Sabudana in water for 4-5 hours or overnight until they swell up and become soft. Drain excess water using a sieve and let it sit for 30 minutes to remove any remaining moisture.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine soaked sabudana, mashed potatoes, grated paneer, rice flour, cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, ground peanuts, garam masala, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and form a dough-like consistency.
3. Take a small portion of the mixture in your palms and flatten it to form a small disc. Place a small amount of grated paneer in the centre and fold the edges to seal it, shaping it into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly to form a vada (patty) shape. Repeat this process for the remaining mixture.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the stuffed vadas into the oil and fry them in batches until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove the fried vadas using a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on a paper towel.
5. Serve the hot paneer stuffed sabudana vadas with some mint chutney, or tamarind chutney.
Tips:
i) Ensure the sabudana are soaked well to achieve the perfect texture in the vadas.
ii) Make sure to seal the edges of the vadas properly to prevent the filling from oozing out while frying.
iii) Fry the vadas on medium heat to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy.