Dabeli is a popular street food from Gujarat and Mumbai ! Dabeli is known as Kutchi dabeli as it is originated from Kutch region of Gujarat. It is made with soft Indian pav or dinner rolls stuffed with spicy potato mix and then layered with chutneys, masala peanuts , pomegranate seeds , chopped onions and crunchy sev making it delicious and bursting with flavor.
Ingredients:
Dabeli needs little planning ad preparations to make it easy and save time. For example , prepare the chutneys and potato stuffing the previous day and refrigerate .
To save time, I have used store bought dabeli masala and chilli garlic chutney. You can also buy vada pav chuteny which is available in powder form. I just mix the vada pav chutney powder and sweet tamarind chutney in a bowl and then smear on the pav. That ways the sticks to the pav. You can make dabeli masala and chilli garlic chutney at home too.
Peanuts also I used store bought, they are easily available as dabeli peanuts or you can use any masala peanuts. They are available at Asian grocery stores. This saves a lot of time.
Tamarind chutney is also available at Asian grocery stores.
Pav: Indian Style unsweetened dinner rolls are used. You can also use soft burger buns.
Coriander chutney: Traditionally green chutney is not used. But I really like the flavor of green chutney in it. If you are making for kids, you can omit the chilli garlic chutney and use coriander chutney instead. It is completely optional .
Sev : They are thin crunchy gram flour noodles also known as nylon sev.
Pomegranate seeds : Add a tangy sweet crunch to dabeli which is hard to replicate.
Dabeli
Ingredients
For Potato masala :
- 4 medium sized potatoes (boiled and mashed)
- 2 tbsp dabeli masala
- 2½ tbsp sweet tamarind chutney (Home made or store bought)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 2-3 tbsp masala peanuts (store bought can also be used)
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Masala peanuts
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 cup peanuts
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dabeli masala
- ½ lime
To assemble:
- 12 pav buns
- 4 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney (or as required)
- 4 tbsp green coriander chutney (or as required)
- 1 small pink/red onion finely chopped
- chilli garlic chutney as required (store bought)
- 1/4 cup nylon sev
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
For masala peanuts
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan on medium low heat
- Add peanuts and roast them until they are light golden while stirring frequently.
- Add the spice powders given in masala peanuts section. Toss to mix and coat the spices to the peanuts. Cook for few minutes. Switch off the heat and transfer to a bowl.
For Potato masala:
- Mix 2 tbsp dabeli masala, 2½ tbsp tamarind chutney and approx 1 tbsp water in a bowl.
- Next , heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan on medium heat and add the prepared dabeli masala mixture.
- Cook on medium flame for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Add the boiled and mashed potatoes, little salt and about 1-2 tbsp water. Mix everything nicely.
- Cook on medium flame for few minutes, keep stirring and mashing if there is any big piece of potato. It should be nicely mashed , smooth mix.
- After 3-4 minutes of cooking and mashing , it will be nice and smooth.
- Switch off the flame and add chopped coriander leaves
- Take it out in a wide plate or bowl. Keep aside.
- Sprinkle coconut , pomegranate seeds and masala peanuts on top .
Assembling the Dabeli:
- Gather all the ingredients required.
- Slit the pav down the middle, without cutting all the way through, leaving it intact on one side.
- Smear generous amount of tamarind chutney and garlic chutney mix on one side ( see notes below)
- Stuff with 2 tbsp of prepared potato mix and top with 1 tsp of chopped onions , 1 tsp of masala peanuts and sev.
- Apply green chutney on the other side . If you don't have green chutney , use tamarind chutney on other side too.
- Repeat the above steps to make rest of the dabelis.
- Before serving, toast the dabeli in butter on a hot tava for few seconds .
- Roll the masala side of the dabeli in sev and then serve right away with more masala peanuts and chopped onion on side.
- Enjoy.
Notes