Farali Vada is an all-time favorite Gujarati fasting recipe made using sama rice (barnyard millet), boiled potatoes, and simple everyday spices. It is a quick, easy, and comforting snack that is perfect for vrat or upvas days. These vadas turn beautifully crispy on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside, making them absolutely irresistible. They taste best when served hot with green chutney, peanut chutney, or even tomato ketchup.
The best part of this recipe is the rolling method used to shape the vadas. This method is very simple and saves a lot of time, especially when you want to prepare the vadas in bulk. Instead of shaping each vada individually, this technique makes the process faster and completely hassle-free. All the ingredients used in this recipe are easily available in most kitchens, especially during fasting days.
To help you achieve perfectly crispy and well-shaped Farali Vadas on your very first attempt, I have shared the correct ingredient proportions along with some fail-proof tips. By following these simple steps, you can make delicious, evenly cooked vadas every time, whether for a festive vrat, a family gathering, or a quick evening snack.
Key Tips to Make Crispy Farali Vadas:
- Use of Sama Rice and Sabudana:
I make the vada dough using sama rice. Grinding sama rice into a fine powder ensures a smooth texture and helps bind the dough well. To cook the flour, gradually add it to boiling water and stir until it forms a soft dough that leaves the sides of the pan. This process gives the vada dough proper binding. - Boiled Potatoes for Binding:
Adding boiled potatoes helps hold the vadas together. If your vadas break while frying, simply mash in one more boiled potato or any farali flour to fix the consistency of the dough. - Rolling Method:
Instead of shaping each vada by hand, I used a rolling technique. I rolled the dough into a large roti and cut out round vadas from it. This method not only makes the process faster but also helps the vadas puff up nicely. You can also shape them by hand in the traditional way if you prefer. - Frying Tip:
Sprinkle or splash a little hot oil on the surface of the vadas before frying. This helps them puff up during frying. Fry on medium flame until they turn crispy and golden brown on both sides.
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Recipe video
Gujarati Farali vada recipe | sama rice vada | farali vada with tips
Ingredients
For farali vada
- 1 cup sama rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp green chilli paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- Some dry farali flour
- Oil for frying
For green chutney
- ½ cup peanuts
- 3-4 spicy green chilli
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup curd
- ¼ cup water or as required
- For chutney tadka
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
Making Farali Vada
- In a mixer jar, add 1 cup sama rice and grind it into a fine powder.
- In a pan, add 1 cup water along with 1 tbsp green chilli paste, salt to taste, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp oil. Mix well.
- When the water starts boiling, gradually add the ground sama rice flour while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- Switch off the gas and cover the mixture for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup boiled and grated potatoes and ½ cup finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and knead into a medium-soft dough for the vadas.
- Add 1 tsp oil and smooth the dough. Do not rest the dough.
- Take a portion of the dough and roll it into a large ball. Roll it into a medium-thick roti, then cut out round vadas using a glass or bowl (refer to the video).
- Prepare all the vadas in the same way.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the vadas and carefully splash hot oil over them so they puff up. Lower the flame and fry on medium heat until they turn crispy and golden brown on both sides. Fry all the vadas similarly.
- Serve hot Farali Vada with chutney and a cup of masala tea.
Making Green Chutney
- In a pan, add ½ cup peanuts and roast them lightly. Transfer to a plate and let them cool.
- In a mixer jar, add the roasted peanuts, 3–4 green chillies, ½ cup coriander leaves, salt to taste, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ cup curd, and ¼ cup water. Grind to a smooth chutney.
- Transfer the chutney to a bowl. Heat oil in a tadka pan, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp sesame seeds, and let them crackle.
- Add the tadka to the chutney and mix well.
- Green chutney is ready. Serve with Farali Vada.
Notes
- Grind the sama rice into a fine powder.
- The quantity of water should be equal to the quantity of sama rice.
- When the water starts boiling, add the ground sama rice flour to it.
- Grate the boiled potatoes so they bind easily with the mixture.
- Use 1 cup mashed potatoes with 1 cup sama rice flour.
- Knead a medium-soft dough for the vada.
- Roll the dough into medium-thick rotis for the vada.
- Fry the vadas on a medium flame.