Crispy Sabudana Vada

Dry-roast the groundnuts until they are completely crisp. Rub off the skins and crush them coarsely.

Verify that the soaked sabudana holds zero residual surface moisture to prevent explosive frying. Fluff the pearls gently.

In a spacious basin, amalgamate the prepared sabudana, cold mashed potatoes, crushed groundnuts, finely minced chillies, cumin seeds, and rock salt.

Knead it lightly and rhythmically until the mixture comes together into a dough that holds its shape.

Oil your palms and press even portions of the dough into tight, flattened round patties.

Bring your frying oil to a medium-high thermal state. Verify the temperature with a minuscule dough drop; it must surface instantaneously.

Slide the vadas into the fat in controlled batches, strictly avoiding temperature drops from overcrowding the vessel.

Fry them patiently until both sides have a deep golden-brown, crisp crust.

Extract with a spider skimmer and rest on absorbent paper to wick away surface lipids.

Serve them straight away, while the contrast in texture is at its best.