Sabudana Vada

Crispy, pan-fried patties of soaked tapioca pearls (sabudana) mixed with mashed potato, crushed roasted peanuts, green chillies, and cumin — the outside golden and crackling, the inside chewy and soft. A fasting (upwas) food across Maharashtra, sabudana vada is eaten during Ekadashi and Navratri when grains are avoided. Its popularity has long since escaped the fasting context — it is now a beloved everyday snack.