Add ½ cup sabudana to a wide bowl. You can optionally rinse them well twice.

Then pour ½ cup water and soak sabudana for 4 to 6 hours depending on the kind. You can also soak overnight.

Some need only 2 hours of soaking while some need at least 5 hours.

Once they are soaked, take few pearls in between your thumb and forefinger.

Press down to check if they have softened. The pearls must get mashed well.

Make sure they are soaked well & softened otherwise unsoaked sabudana may burst in oil.

You can also bite and check. It should not be hard from inside. If you feel they are hard, soak them for a little longer.

Drain them completely to a colander and set aside.

Meanwhile roast peanuts until golden and aromatic. Cool completely.

Pulse them in a blender only once to get coarsely crushed peanuts. Keep aside.

Wash and peel potatoes. Boil them just until done and not too mushy or soggy.

Mash them. If the potatoes are mushy then the vadas may break. So cook them just al dente.

Mix together sabudana, mashed potato, peanuts, green chili, ginger, salt, cumin and coriander leaves. Add lemon juice (optional) and mix well.

If the dough turns sticky, then just grease your finger lightly.

Mixing well helps in binding the dough well and prevents the sabudana vada from breaking while frying.

Make 10 to 12 balls and then slightly flatten to make the patties or vada.

Do not make them too thin as they may break. Making then too thick will not cook them from inside.

Heat oil in a kadai until hot enough on a medium flame.

Drop a small portion of the dough to check if the oil is hot enough. The dough has to rise without browning quickly.

Next take 1 tsp of the mixture in your hand and roll it to a small vada.

Slide it to the hot oil to check if it doesn't disintegrate.

If the ball breaks, then add 1 tablespoon flour to the mixture and mix it well. Then shape them to vadas.

Slide the sabudana vada to hot oil one after the other. Do not crowd them all at one time. Slide only 2 to 3 depending on the size of your pan.

After adding the vadas, let them deep fry on a medium flame for a few minutes. Do not disturb them or touch them as they may break. When they firm up and become slightly golden, flip to the other side. Fry until golden and crisp.

The vadas will puff well and turn golden & crisp on the outside.

Drain them to a kitchen tissue or colander. Serve sabudana vada with green chutney.

I prefer to shape our sabudana vada thinner so they won't remain chewy and undercooked inside. Shape the mixture to not very thin or very thick patties.

Place them in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360 F or 180 C for 14 to 16 minutes, turning after 10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Adjust the timing depending on your air fryer.

I brush them with ghee as soon as they are out of the air fryer.

Place them on a prepared tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven for at least 20 mins. Bake at 390 F or 190 C for 30 to 35 minutes or a little longer until crisp.