Air Fryer Frozen Sabudana Vada

Ingredients

• 300 g frozen sabudana vada (about 8 patties), straight from the freezer
• Plain yogurt, to serve (optional)
• Green chutney, to serve (optional)
• Oil spray

Steps

1. Take the sabudana vadas straight from frozen - they're soft and starchy, and thawing first makes them fall apart in the basket.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.
3. Spray both sides generously with oil - sabudana (tapioca pearl) patties need more oil than a flour-based vada to crisp properly instead of turning gummy.
4. Arrange in a single layer with space around each patty.
5. Air fry for 7 minutes, then flip each one carefully with a flat spatula, since they're delicate until fully crisp.
6. Air fry a further 6-7 minutes (about 14 minutes total) until golden and crisp outside, with no translucent, gummy patches when you break one open.
7. Serve hot with yogurt and green chutney.

Tip: If a vada looks pale and slightly translucent rather than golden after the full time, it needs a few more minutes rather than higher heat - the sabudana pearls inside need to fully cook through, or the texture stays gluey.

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Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated from standard ingredient data — actual values vary by brand and exact quantities used.