Tapioca (Yuka or Cassava roots) locally called as Kuchi kelangu in Tamil Nadu, India, is a tasty ingredient used to make a variety of delicious snacks.

Fun Fact: Sabudhana is a starch extracted from these tapioca tubers ?
Here is an easy recipe to make vada/fritters with this delicious tuber.
The quantity given here serves four people.
Tapioca Fritters aka Kelangu Vada Recipe
Ingredients
- Tapioca tubers – 1 kg
- Chana dal – 250 gms (Bengal gram dal/Split chickpeas)
- Red chillies – 6
- Onion (big sized) – 2
- Sompf (Fennel seeds) – 1 tsp
- Curry leaves – handful
- Cooking oil – 1/2 liter
- Salt – to taste

Method:
- Soak the gram dal for 1 hour.
- Peel the tapioca tubers, wash and grate them.
- Grind the grated tapioca along with the soaked dal, red chillies and salt. Do not add water at all. The water that is soaked in by the dal is enough for grinding it to a paste. If more water is added, vadas cannot be made.
- If by mistake the batter becomes more watery, add a little rice flour and bring it to the right consistency. You should be able to make small balls of the batter in your palms.
- Add the chopped onion, sompf and curry leaves to this mixture, make small balls using your palms and flatten them.
- Heat cooking oil in a deep-bottomed pan.
- When the oil is hot enough, drop the flattened batter balls into the oil and fry till they turn golden brown.
- Kuchi kelangu vada/Tapioca fritters are ready!


Enjoy the tasty Kuchi kelangu vadas.
For more Tapioca recipes (chips and fry), check out my post on Tapioca Recipes.
Also read: Tapioca chips and Tapioca fry recipe
Tips: Use a little sooji bansi/upma rava/semolina to make your batter thick if it is watery.
The Organic Chana Dal from 24 Mantra is my favorite brand to use for this snack.
Tapioca flour is also available these days readily. You can use it to make this recipe and also as a thickening agent. You can make yummy cakes with it too!
When fresh Tapioca tubers are not available, use this organic Organic Tapioca Flour / Starch to make the vada.
I like this Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Saute Pan for cooking.
I use this Prestige Pressure Cooker for cooking.

Join the Facebook Group South Indian Veg Food Recipes for more yummy veg recipes!
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Good recipe!
Thanks!
I’ve never actually had this before! This seems like an interesting recipe and food.
It sure is 🙂
When I first looked at the photo I thought it was a sweet. They sound really interesting, although possibly too spicy for me.
Haha..please do try with less spice!
The recipe seems simple. Might give this a try soon! 🙂
You will love this!
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Thanks!