Kacchi Dabeli / Kutchi Dabeli

One can never get ever enough of Indian street food – The spicy and tangy aroma of the local feasts will tickle all your taste senses. Well famed for its wide range of scrumptious, quick and cheap choices, it offers nothing less than delight even to the veggie lovers and known for giving hunger pangs. When it comes to street food, India is one proud nation where every state and city has its own specialty.

One such popular evening snack from Gujarat, that became a favourite street food all over Western India is Kacchi Dabeli / Kutchi Dabeli. It is a spicy snack prepared with Pav (buns) and Dabeli stuffing made of boiled mashed potatoes and spices. It is then pressed and heated on a pan and served with spicy Mint and Coriander chutney and sweet – sour chutneys. The aroma of Kacchi Dabeli will certainly get you hooked for more of it. Today I am sharing with you this very popular and one of my favourite street foods. Here is how to make Kacchi Dabeli easily at home.

A little pre-warning here for those attempting this at home – There are quite a few steps involved to get all components together. Many of these can be store bought to save time, but I list down the recipes for each component for those who do not have access to Indian / Asian stores around. Bear with me through the recipe and I promise you, it is sure worth all the effort. So the next time you crave street food, make this easy, delicious & healthy Kacchi Dabeli / Kutchi Dabeli at the comfort of your home!

INGREDIENTS

15 Pav (click link for the recipe)

To prepare Homemade Dabeli Masala:

2 cloves

1 red chilli

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2″ stick cinnamon

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

Instructions:

1. Roast all the ingredients in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Grind to a fine powder in a blender. Use as required.

To prepare the potato/dabeli filling:

3 onions- finely chopped

2 tsp Dabeli masala (see above)

2 tbsp date and tamarind chutney (recipe below)

2 tbsp oil

1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
2. When they crackle, add the asafoetida, dabeli masala, mashed potato, salt and ½ cup of water, and mix well.
3. Remove from the fire, add the 2 tbsps of Date and Tamarind chutney and mix well.
4. Divide into 15 portions. Keep aside.

To prepare Date and Tamarind Chutney:

2 cups water

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chili powder

½ cup seedless tamarind

½ cup seedless dates

½ cup jaggery

½ tsp fennel powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp dry ginger powder

salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a pan take equal proportion of tamarind, dates and jaggery and mix with water
2. Mix and boil the mixture for at least 10 minutes.
3. Add all spices and salt to taste. At this point try and mash tamarind and dates.
4. Simmer the mixture for 2 more minutes and set aside to cool.
5. Once cooled transfer the dates, tamarind mixture to the mixer and blend smooth puree.
6. Strain the puree and transfer the prepared chutney into airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator.

To prepare Spicy Chili Peanuts:

1 cup raw peanuts

1 tsp cooking oil

1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

1 tsp Himalaya pink salt

Instructions:

1. Roast the peanuts into oil until lightly brown.
2. Switch the flame off and add chili powder and salt.
3. Mix well and set aside to cool

To prepare Garlic Chutney:

12 peeled small garlic cloves

6 dry whole red chilies

3 tsps red chili powder

2 tsps cumin seeds

1 tsp cooking oil

Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Add the cooking oil into a pan with garlic cloves and dry chilies.
2. Saute until garlic cloves are caramelized on low heat ensuring they don’t burn
3. Transfer the garlic cloves and red chilies into a mixer bowl.
4. Add salt, chili powder, cumin seeds and 1/4 cup water.
5. Grind into a smooth paste and the garlic chutney is ready. Set aside

To Assemble and Serve Dabeli

6 tbsp date and tamarind chutney

2 tbsp fresh garlic chutney

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 cup roasted spicy chili peanuts

1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

1/2 cup thin nylon sev (optional)

1/2 cup fresh pomegranate

Butter for cooking

METHOD:

1. Slice the Pav buns into halves horizontally and cook the buns in a pan using a little butter.
2. Place a spoonful of the potato filling on the lower half of each bun.
3. Top with the chopped onion, peanuts, coriander, nylon sev, pomegranate, fresh garlic chutney, date and tamarind chutney. *Nylon sev is a savoury snack made in India
4. Sandwich it with the top halves of the Pav bun.
5. In a plate spread the nylon sev and roll the sides on the sev.
6. Kacchi Dabeli is now ready to serve with hot Chai!

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Love & Hugs,

Trupti