A steaming cup of tea accompanied by a crispy, pillowy medu vada – a savoury doughnut-shaped fritter made from a batter of spiced black lentils – is the quintessential South-Indian teatime snack. But in my aunt’s kitchen, it’s a crunchier cousin of the medu vada that steals the spotlight on quiet, rainy evenings.
While most mothers are often celebrated for their hearty, everyday feasts, aunts are the queens of the unexpected afternoon snacks. For me, that meant a hot plate of her golden brown sago vadas (also known as sabudana vadas). A traditional snack from Maharashtra, these crispy tapioca fritters typically rely on potato to bind them together.
But my Periyamma (aunt) swaps the starchy vegetable for a healthier substitute. “Sago vada can be made with potatoes and is deep-fried. Since my niece Shalibeth loved it, she inspired me to make it often. The recipe has since evolved into a healthier, more nutritious snack by replacing potatoes with purple sweet potatoes and switching from deep frying to shallow frying or steaming,” Ms Sheela Suresh, 46, said.
Plump, perfectly soaked tapioca pearls are tossed into a bowl, to which she folds in freshly boiled, peeled and mashed purple sweet potatoes. She later adds in fresh coriander, roasted peanuts, jeera seeds, sliced green chillies, and a pinch of salt to complete the batter. Flatten the batter into discs, fry until crispy, and the perfect savoury treat is ready!
The magic of her vada lies in its contrasting textures: the crispy, crunchy fried exterior, aided by the peanut, gives way to the soft, chewy sago pearls (like a QQ texture) mixed with the creamy sweet potato filling. She also rolls the sweet potato sago batter into balls and steams them.
Despite the sweet potato batter, the snack retains an aromatic and savoury flavour. There is a rich, nutty depth from the roasted peanuts, while jeera seeds add an earthy warmth that compliments the bright notes from the fresh coriander, ending with a spicy kick from the green chilli.
Whether we were cosying up for a movie night to watch the Tamil classic “Baasha” together or I was stress-eating through late-night study sessions, these vadas were always there. They’ve become more than just a snack to us, they’re a little piece of our fondest memories together.
