Potato Tapioca Fritters

There are some foods that have a permanent place in your taste buds. These potato tapioca fritters or sabudana vadas are one of them. A childhood and adult favorite, these morsels usually were made for an afternoon treat or as part of the meal. 

Travelling through the Indian countryside, we bought these deep-fried fritters at roadside restaurants. They came nestled in newspaper, the paper absorbing greasy oils. Biting into the crisp brown crust revealed a melange of mashed potato and soft sabudana or tapioca balls, a hint of freshness from chopped green chiles and cilantro, a balance of salt and sweet and a tang of lime.  

Soak tapioca pearls in lots of water for two hours. They become soft and spongy. Squeeze  out all the water before you add them to the mashed potatoes.  Potatoes should be waxy and sticky. You will not need a binder if they are. Or else use a little arrowroot or cornstarch to bind the fritters. A little freshness is added with cilantro and green chiles. The oil needs to be really really hot. The outside of the fritters have to start cooking the moment they hit the oil. Or else they might start disintegrating. If they do, scoop them back into the mashed potato and incorporate them into the mix. I always start by frying one fritter. If it stays intact I know the consistency is just right. You can make your adjustments then. My sister Prassy makes them in an appe pan, with very little oil. She says they are good but not as satisfying as deep frying them.

What is it about fried foods that makes you feel warm and comforted? Make the fritters and feel the magic.

POTATO TAPIOCA FRITTERS

Makes 20-25

4 Yukon Gold or any waxy Potatoes

3/4 cup Tapioca Pearls or Sabudana

2 Green Chiles, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped Cilantro

3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

A Squirt of Lime Juice

Oil for frying

Soak tapioca in lots of water for 2 hours. Drain them well. Press down on the tapioca with a towel to squeeze all water out of the tapioca.

Boil potatoes till soft. Peel and grate them into a bowl. 

Add tapioca, green chiles, cilantro, salt, sugar and lime juice to potatoes. 

Mix well. Use your hands. 

Form 2 inch logs. 

Heat 2 cups of oil in a kadhai, wok or wide saucepan. The oil should be very hot. Test it by dropping one fritter. If the fritter starts coming apart, take the fritter out and raise the temperature and try again. Hot oil at 375F or 400F will allow the fritter to brown quickly and not come apart.

Fry all fritters in the same fashion. 

You could make them earlier and reheat in a warm oven.

Eat them piping hot.

 

The fritters remind me of my Mum....and her love for fried foods, so lovingly made and shared with us. We now share them with our families. Pay it forward...

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