Sabudana Vada | Indian Tapioca Pearl and Potato Fritters

Drain the soaked tapioca pearls thoroughly and leave them in the strainer for 10 minutes. Press one pearl against your thumbnail with your thumb: it is ready if it mashes without resistance. If a hard white spot remains in the center, sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over the pearls and mix. Wet pearls can pop and splatter in hot oil.

Crush the roasted peanuts in a mortar or with a rolling pin in the bottom of a bowl until they are about the size of bulgur. Whole peanuts will not bind the mixture and are a choking hazard for young children. Mash the boiled potatoes while hot and let them cool. Combine them with the tapioca pearls, crushed peanuts, chopped chili, and cilantro. Add the lemon juice, ground cumin, and salt, then press and knead by hand; the mixture should hold together in your palm without cracking.

Lightly wet your hands. Take walnut-sized portions of the mixture and roll them into balls, then press them between your palms into flat disks 1 cm thick. Smooth the edges with your fingers so there are no cracks; cracks widen during frying and can split the patties. Arrange the disks on parchment paper.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep skillet and test it with a small piece of the mixture; the temperature is right if the piece sinks and then quickly rises to the surface. Add the disks in batches of three or four without crowding the pan; crowded patties lower the oil temperature and absorb oil. Turn them after three minutes. When both sides are deep golden, remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack, and serve hot.