Javvarisi Vadagam / Javakki Sandige / Saggubiyyam Vadiyalu – Guest Post for Aaharam

 This post was earlier cross posted in Aruna’s Aaharam blog. I did a guest post for her and here it is. Thanks again Aruna for giving me this opportunity. :-)

Aruna’s Aaharam is one among the first few blogs that I followed right after moving WordPress. I admire and love the way she brings out the authenticity of the recipes.  Along with the recipes I look forward to her write-ups to. Me being a history fanatic love her write-ups especially the Indian travel tales. After reading this post, I wanted to travel to Himachal right away. 

Another post that took me back to history was this. Her blog has great vegetarian recipes and picking my favorite is very hard. The one in my to-do list is her Mysore Masala dosa. I am hoping to get to this recipe soon.

Here is her social media links,

With all that said, when Aruna asked me for a guest post I agreed right away. It’s such an honor and pleasure for me to write for her who is active in this blog space for a very long time. Thank you so much Aruna for this wonderful opportunity. And here is my recipe.

We all know the proverb “Make hay while the sun shines”. But I would say “Make Vadagams when the sun shines” especially in US. I get only two months of peak summer and whenever it’s sunny over the weekend I try to make these Fryums or Vadagams and stock it up. This is a super simple recipe and I got it from my mom. You don’t need any exotic ingredients for this. Every summer back in my native Amma prepares this along with other Vadagams and I help her spreading it out in the terrace. I love the half dried soft and crunchy Vadagams. So every now and then I used to go to terrace and grab the half dried ones. Amma has to save these Vadagams not only from the birds but also from me too before they dry up. ;-) Lol

Here is the recipe,

Ingredients for Plain Vadagams:

• Sabudana/Javvarisi/Saggubiyyam – 1 cup (The big thick sabudana)
• Green chillies – 2
• Water for soaking + 6 cups + 3 tbsps.
• Rice flour – 1 tbsp.
• Salt – ¾ tsp to 1 tsp 
• Gingelly oil – 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 2 tbsps

Other accessories needed:

• Big plastic sheet for spreading the vadagams

Steps:

Preparing the mixture:

• Soak the sabudana overnight or up to 8 hrs.
• Grind the green chilly with little water and salt.
• Now boil the 6 cups of water with 1 tsp of gingelly oil in heavy bottom vessel/pan.
• Once the water boils add the green chilly mixture.
• Let it boil for couple of minutes and now added the soaked sabudana.
• Keep stirring the mixture and make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the vessel.
• Let it boil till all the sabudana is cooked. 
• Now reduce the heat and mix the 1 tbsp. of rice flour with 3 tbsps.’ of water and add it to the sabudana.

• This is to thicken the sabudana mixture.
• Let it simmer for couple more minutes and turn it off and let it cool.
• Now add the lemon juice and mix well.

Drying:

• Meanwhile in a sunny area (backyard or balcony or terrace) place the washed plastic sheet.
• Now take a small ladle full of the sabudana mixture and spread it in the sheet. Give enough space between two vadagams. Sometimes it might flow but that’s ok
• Let it sundry for the whole day and bring the sheet with the vadagams inside in the evening. The next day flip it slowly and dry them again.

• During peak summer it gets dried up within two days if not maximum 3 days.
• Once they are dried up store them in airtight container.

Tomato Vadagams:

You don’t need to add artificial colors to make the colored vadagams. Just add veggies to make it colorful and also flavorful. For these tomato vadagams all you need to 3 tomatoes and ¼ tsp of additional salt and one more green chilly. All you need to do is grind the tomatoes, chilly and salt together. Similar you can try green vadagams by grinding cilantro and mint together.

When you want to use them fry them up in oil and enjoy with your favorite rice.

Notes:

• We need to be careful with the addition of salt. If you feel the salt is less increment in small quantity.
• Don’t let the vadagams outside during the night. Drying might get delayed
• You can also add little carom seeds or cumin seeds to the sabudana mixture.