Sawa ke chawal ki tikki and vada

Ingredients

• 90 g (½ cup)sawa rice (barnyard millet)
• 300 ml (1¼ cups)water
• 2 largepotatoes, boiled and peeled
• 1 largegreen chilli, chopped
• ¼–½ teaspoonred chilli powder
• ½–1 teaspoonground coriander (omit if avoiding it during a fast)
• ½–1 tablespoonfresh coriander leaves, chopped
• to tastesendha namak (rock salt)
• for fryingoil

Instructions

1. 1

   Measure the rice

   Measure out the sawa rice.

2. 2

   Add to cooker

   Put the sawa rice into a pressure cooker.

3. 3

   Cook rice and potatoes

   Pour in the water, close the cooker and cook for 4–5 whistles. At the same time, boil the potatoes in a microwave or another pressure cooker. The rice can also be cooked in a microwave.

4. 4

   Check the rice

   Once cooked, the rice should have absorbed all the water.

5. 5

   Cool the rice

   Transfer the rice to a plate and let it cool completely. Make sure no water remains, as excess moisture can make the tikki mixture sticky and hard to shape.

6. 6

   Prepare ingredients

   Boil and peel the potatoes, then gather the remaining ingredients.

7. 7

   Mash the potatoes

   Mash the potatoes in a large bowl and add the other ingredients one by one.

8. 8

   Mix the seasoning

   Mix until the potato and seasonings are evenly combined.

9. 9

   Add the rice

   Add the cooled sawa rice to the bowl.

10. 10

    Combine the mixture

    Mix the rice through the potato mixture.

11. 11

    Shape the tikkis

    Shape the mixture into tikkis. If it sticks to your hands, rub a drop of oil on your palms.

12. 12

    Shape the vadas

    Alternatively, shape the mixture into vadas by making a hole in the centre of each tikki.

13. 13

    Choose a shape

    The vadas are ready to fry, or you can shape the mixture into cylinders for fritters.

14. 14

    Heat the oil

    Heat oil in a kadhai. Once it is hot, turn the heat down.

15. 15

    Fry until golden

    Fry the tikkis until golden brown.

16. 16

    Drain the tikkis

    Lift them out and leave them on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

17. 17

    Serve as dahi vadas

    For vadas, dip the fried pieces in hot water until soft, then squeeze out the excess water. Dip them in well-beaten curd seasoned with salt and red chilli powder, and finish with green chutney.

18. 18

    Serve as fritters

    If you shaped the mixture into fritters, they are ready to dip and eat.

19. 19

    Serve the tikkis

    Enjoy the crisp sawa rice tikkis with vrat ki chutney.

What are sawa rice tikkis?

Sawa, also called sama or barnyard millet, is used in Indian fasting dishes, where it stands in for grains avoided during vrat. These tikkis combine cooked sawa rice with mashed potato, herbs and spices, then fry the mixture into a crisp snack.

This version offers three shapes from one mixture: flat tikkis, centre-holed vadas or cylindrical fritters. The potato binds the rice, while cooling the cooked grains before mixing helps keep the mixture manageable.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 150 calories, 3g protein, 21g carbs, 6g fat.

The rice and potatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the potatoes and millet contribute a little protein. Most of the fat comes from oil absorbed during frying, and the salt level depends on how much sendha namak you add. Serve a tikki or two with a fresh salad or vegetables to round out the plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Sawa rice: Cook it with the stated water until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed. It needs to cool fully before it goes into the potato mixture.

Potatoes: Boil and peel them before mashing. The recipe leaves the size of the potatoes flexible, so use large ones as listed and check that the mixture holds together when shaped.

Seasoning: Green chilli, red chilli powder and fresh coriander bring heat and freshness. Ground coriander is optional if you do not eat it during a fast; use sendha namak if that is your fasting practice.

Getting the mixture right

Dry rice: Any water left with the cooked rice can make the mixture sticky and difficult to shape. Let the rice cool completely, and check that the water has been absorbed before mixing.

Even mixing: Work the seasonings into the mashed potato first, then fold in the cooled rice. If the mixture clings to your hands, a little oil on your palms can help with shaping.

Shaping and frying

Tikkis: Shape the mixture into flat rounds for a straightforward fritter. Vadas: Make a hole in the middle of each round, or roll the mixture into cylinders for another shape.

Oil: Heat the frying oil, then lower the heat before adding the pieces. Fry until golden brown and drain on kitchen paper; avoid moving them around excessively while they cook.

Serving the different shapes

Crisp tikkis and cylindrical fritters can be served hot with vrat ki chutney for dipping. Their crisp exterior is best enjoyed soon after frying.

For a dahi vada-style serving, soften the fried vadas in hot water, squeeze out the excess, then coat them in seasoned, well-beaten curd. Add green chutney just before serving.

Timing and make-ahead

The listed total time is 40 minutes, including cooking and shaping. The rice needs time to cool completely before it is mixed with the potatoes, so allow for that cooling stage within your preparation.

You can boil the potatoes while the rice cooks, as the method suggests. Fry the shaped pieces close to serving time for the crispest result.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the cooked rice cool completely before mixing it with the potatoes.
• Check that the rice has absorbed all its cooking water before transferring it to a plate.
• Oil your palms lightly if the mixture sticks while you shape it.
• Lower the heat once the frying oil is hot, as directed in the method.
• Drain the fried pieces on kitchen paper before serving.
• For dahi vadas, squeeze out excess water after softening them so they do not water down the curd.

Variations

• Flat tikkis: Shape the mixture into rounds and serve them crisp with vrat ki chutney.
• Centre-holed vadas: Make a hole in each round and serve as dahi vadas with seasoned curd and green chutney.
• Cylindrical fritters: Roll the mixture into cylinders for a different shape to dip and eat.
• Skip coriander powder: Leave it out if it does not fit your fasting practice.
• Adjust the chilli: Use the lower end of the red chilli powder range for a milder batch.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet rice: Leftover water makes the mixture sticky; cook until absorbed and cool the rice fully.
• Warm rice: It can be harder to handle in the mixture; let it cool completely before combining.
• Sticky shaping: Do not add extra ingredients automatically; first try rubbing a drop of oil on your palms.
• Oil too hot: The outside may brown before the fritters are ready; lower the heat once the oil is hot.
• Skipping the drain: Excess surface oil can make the tikkis greasy; rest them briefly on kitchen paper.
• Watery dahi vadas: Squeeze out the water after softening the fried vadas before dipping them in curd.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover fried tikkis in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a frying pan or oven until hot and crisp; the texture may soften in storage. Prepare dahi vadas with curd and chutney close to serving rather than storing them already assembled.

Frequently asked questions