Dabeli

Dabeli or Kutchi dabeli is a snack food of India, originating in the Kutch or Kachchh region of Gujarat. It is a spicy snack made by mixing boiled potatoes with a dabeli masala, and putting the mixture between pav (burger bun) and served with chutneys made from tamarind, date, garlic, red chilies, etc. and garnished with pomegranate and roasted peanuts.

Another yummy snack was pending for long time to be tried in my kitchen until recently. Opportunity arrived when my turn came for our society afternoon tea party (weekly summer event for get-together). Me and another friend prepared around 40-45 dabeli for the entire gal gang and it was a hit that afternoon. Sadly summer time is getting over and we will miss our party till next year..but Dabeli would be tried many times till then I am sure :)

Ingredients


For The Dabeli Masala
2 red chillis
1 tsp coriander  seeds
1/2" stick cinnamon, 2 cloves  
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

For The Filling
3 medium size potatoes boiled and mashed 
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1 tblsp dabeli masala
3 tbsp dates and tamarind chutney
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

for garlic chutney

2-3 red chillies soaked in water
8-10 cloves of garlic
1 tblsp oil
1tblsp lemon juice
salt as per taste

Other Ingredients
5 dabei/ burger buns
butter or for cooking

To Serve
1 onion  chopped
1/2 cup spicy roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 cup thin  sev
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate
 fresh garlic chutney as required
 sweet tamarind dates chutney as required

Method 

1st step is to prepare the dabeli masala
Roast all the ingredients given above for dabeli masala in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes. let it cool and Grind it to a fine powder in a blender.

For the filling

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they started spluttering, add  asafoetida, mix dabeli masala and dates tamarind chutney together and add it to the oil. Saute for 10-15 sec. Add mashed potato, salt as per the taste and ½ cup of water and mix well.

Remove from the fire, add the 2 tablespoons of tamarind dates chutney and mix well. Keep aside.


Now to prepare garlic chutney..
grind red chilli and garlic together to a fine paste. add salt and lemon juice mix well. keep aside.
Now take a big flat bowl. Place the potato mixture first. Then add the roasted peanuts and mix well. Add coconuts, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander leaves on top.








How to proceed

Slice the burger buns into halves horizontally and cook the buns in a pan using a little butter/ oil. Apply tamarind dates chutney to lower half of the bun and garlic chutney to the upper half of the bun.







Place a portion of the potato filling on the lower half of each bun.
Top with the chopped onion, sev, if u want u can sprinkle some pomegranate seeds. Sandwich it with the top halves of the burger buns.








NB: I have used store bought peanuts. But if u want to prepare it at home here is the recipe. Heat 1 tblsp oil in a pan add asafoetida and then peanuts,  fry till they get slight brown in colour. now switch off the flame add red chilli powder and salt to taste. your roasted peanut is ready.