JAVVARISI VADAM

INGREDIENTS:

Sago/ Sabudana	3 cups
Green chili	3-4
Salt	2 tsp
Lemon	1 large
Water	6 cups

METHOD:

• In a large bowl, add 3 cups of sago. Wash it twice and soak it in enough water overnight. The sago would fluff up in size when soaked, so always soak in a large bowl.

Next day early morning:

• Blend 3-4 green chili and salt into a paste with 2 tbsp water. Also squeeze juice from the lemon to a bowl and keep aside.
• In a large deep pan, add 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil. When it boils, add the green chili paste and soaked sago.
• Lower the heat to low-medium and cook for 10 mins while stirring continuously. The continuous stirring will ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan.
• The sago pearls will turn translucent and the mixture will turn in to a thick porridge consistency when done. The mixture shouldn’t be too thick also as the mixture will thicken when cooled.
• Remove from heat and let it cool for few mins and mix in the lemon juice.

Sun drying the vadaam:

• Spread a clean white cloth or plastic sheet without any wrinkles in balcony where plenty of sun will be available.
• Pour half a ladleful of mixture onto the sheet into small circular discs. The discs should be of medium thickness nor too thick nor too thin.
• Continue pouring the mixture into small discs until the mixture is over.

• Let the discs dry under hot sun in day time and dry inside the house during night. You will be able to peel from the cloth/ plastic sheet by evening (if the sun was very hot) or by next morning.
• After peeling, let the semi-dry part face up. Continue drying for 3-4 days until the vadaams are dry and crispy. The vadaams will turn transparent and glass-like when dried.

Test frying the vadaam:

• Heat oil in a kadai and try frying 1 or 2 vadaams. If the fried vadaams turn crisp and fluff up in size, then the vadaams are completely dried. If the fried vadaams are chewy, then the vadaams need to sun dry for another 2-3 days.
• Store the sun-dried vadaams in an air-tight container and fry them as and when needed in hot oil. The vadaams should always be deep fried in hot oil.
• Drain the vadaams from the oil onto kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.
• Enjoy as an evening snack or serve with rice.