Dabeli Recipe-Indian Street Food | How to Make Kutchi Dabeli At Home | Step-By-Step Dabeli Recipe.

Dabeli is a renowned street food available mainly on the streets of Gujarat and Mumbai! This Indian Burger with a sweet, spicy and tangy potato filling tastes extremely delicious.

Dabeli Recipe-Indian Street Food | How to Make Kutchi Dabeli At Home | Step-By-Step Dabeli Recipe.

Remember those bachelor days when the budget was tight and cravings were endless? Those were the days when this popular street food Dabeli was a good catch every time 🙂 A savior during those days Dabeli was both tasty and filling and yes very economical too. We are a huge fan of street foods and a few days back I made these delicious street style Chicken Kathi Roll / Chicken wraps at home and believe me we ran short of them!

What is Dabeli Recipe?

Dabeli is a popular street food that’s available mainly on the streets of Gujarat and Mumbai. It’s a form of Indian Burger that constitutes a potato filling that’s sweet, tangy and spicy. The potato filling of Kutchi Dabeli is prepared with a special masala known as Dabeli masala and garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds and masala peanuts (peanuts roasted with spices). The Indian burger buns or dinner rolls are first slathered with two types of sauces or chutneys, namely tamarind+dates chutney and red chili+garlic chutney. The filling is then inserted in sliced and chutney slathered ladi pav (Indian burger buns) or dinner rolls and garnished with sev (fried gram flour vermicelli). Kacchi dabeli tastes awesome, it’s sweet, tangy, spicy and topped with the crunchiness of the masala peanuts and the juicy pomegranate seeds! If you love Indian food on a budget you will surely love this recipe of home-made Dabeli!

Which State Is Famous For Dabeli? And Who invented Dabeli?

Dabeli originated in Mandvi in the Kutch region of Gujarat in India and hence, it’s alternative names Kutchi Dabeli or Kacchi Dabeli. Keshavji Gabha Chudasama a resident of Mandvi is believed to have invented Dabeli back in 1960. It’s a renowned street food in Gujarat and Mandvi along with Bhuj and Nakhatrana still boasts about selling authentic Dabelis whose taste is unbeatable! To know more click here.

Kutchi Dabeli a popular street snack since 1960 has made it’s way to other states and cities too in terms of popularity. Though invented in the Kutch region in Gujarat it’s equally a relished street food all over Maharashtra and also in some other cities all over India. Needless to say that it’s both economical and satiating and hence, loved by many. 

What is Dabeli Made Of?

Dabeli is made of Indian Burger buns known as Ladi Pav, a potato filling, and chutneys. There is quite a bit of preparation involved to make authentic and tasty Dabelis. But, if prepped one day in advance it is an easy recipe to just assemble and munch on! Same day preparation needs a little bit of planning and time.

The potato filling in a Kutchi Dabeli is cooked with a special masala powder known as Dabeli masala, it’s the heart and soul of this recipe and a good masala powder is a must to mimic an authentic Dabeli. You need not worry because the Dabeli masala is widely available in all the Indian grocery stores and can also be made at home. I used a store-bought Dabeli masala for my recipe.

Next important part of this recipe is the chutneys or the sauces. The good news is that the Chutneys used in this recipe can be made well in advance and they store well for a fortnight in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Two kinds of chutneys are used in this Kachchi Dabeli recipe:Tamarind & dates chutney, this chutney is sweet and a bit tangy And the red chili & garlic chutney – this chutney is spicy & pungent. The chutneys are used to slather the burger buns or Ladi Pavs and make them way more delicious and appetizing.

The added texture and crunchiness in a Dabeli comes from the roasted masala peanuts, the fresh juicy pomegranate seeds and the fine sev (fried gram flour vermicelli).

Where to get Dabeli Masala?

Dabeli Masala is widely available in all the Indian grocery stores in India and also in the foreign countries. Sold under various brand names the Dabeli masala is mainly manufactured and packaged in Gujarat. People prefer the masala hailing from Manvi and Bhuj for the authentic taste. You can use any brand you prefer.

What is Dabeli Masala Made of or What is Dabeli Masala Powder?

Dabeli Masala powder is a special blend of aromatic spices mixture that is used to make Dabeli. Without Dabeli masala Dabelis cannot be made, the masala is the heart and soul of a good Dabeli recipe and it gives it an authentic taste and flavor that’s so typical of Gujarat.

Home-made Dabeli masala powder is made of dried red-chilies, black-pepper powder, dried coconut, salt, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, turmeric, green cardamom, Badiyan, black-salt, Tej Patta or bay leaf and other garam masalas. Everything is dry roasted and then ground into a fine powder. The Dabeli masala powder stores well for 6 to 12 months in an airtight jar.

What goes with Dabeli?

Dabeli is a street food best relished as is. Some people prefer to accompany it with a hot cup of Indian Chai (tea)!

How to Make Perfect Kacchi Dabeli? – Tips & Tricks!

Though a Kutchi Dabeli recipe may seem to be easy yet there are a few important points that need to be always remembered. Of course, it’s an easy recipe no doubt about it but it can sometimes get a little tricky if the steps are not followed wisely! So, here are a few important pointers that I compiled to make your Dabeli making a breeze!

*The Pav or Dinner Rolls: A dinner roll is always a good substitute for a Ladi Pav. I personally do not prefer using burger buns to make Dabeli but few of my friends swear by its taste. So, it’s better to explore and experiments perhaps you might like them. I find a difference in taste and texture!

*The potato Filling:The potato filling in a Dabeli has to be lump free if not super smooth. Get rid of all the lumps and it’s easier to mash the boiled potatoes with a potato masher before cooking it in a pan. 

*The Dabeli Masala: Personally I do not find any difference between home-made Dabeli masala and a good store-bought counterpart. Both taste amazing! Maximum times I use a store-bought masala because it makes my life a lot easy and I can rustle up the recipe fast. But, if you decide to wind up your own Dabeli masala well ahead of time than your life will be easy too, until and unless a sudden Dabeli craving strikes and you run out of your home-made masala:)

*The Chutneys or the Sauces: There are two chutneys that go in this Kacchi dabeli recipe – The sweet & tangy tamarind and dates chutney And the spicy & pungent garlic & red chili chutney. The chutney consistency is very important in this recipe. They should have a pourable consistency but should not be runny or watery! When applied on the Dinner rolls or Ladi Pav the chutneys should smooth out without any struggle and some amount will seep in the bread layers to add and intensify the flavors. If the chutneys are of jam consistency and too thick they will be overwhelming in taste and would not impart the recipe its authentic street side taste! What I have seen is that the street vendors always use a pourable consistency chutney.

*The add-ons like masala peanuts, pomegranate seeds, and the fine sev: Do not skip any of these because they really add texture, crunchiness and in addition enhances the taste so much. I do feel using very fine sev makes a difference than the regular varieties.

How to make Dabeli | Katchi Dabeli? Step-By-Step Method Of Preparing Dabeli At Home:

How to make the Dates & Tamarind Chutney?

1. Take all the mentioned ingredients in a saucepan, add water and cover and cook over low heat for 20 mins or until the dates have softened and the water reduced to almost half the quantity.

2. The tamarind, dates and the jaggery should melt and incorporate well in the water.

3. Switch off the flame. Allow the chutney to cool down completely and then strain it to separate the pulp from the juices and set aside. The chutney should not be thick, it should just be of pourable consistency (refer the picture) but not too runny. If it’s thick mix some hot water for the desired consistency.

4. Add 1/2 teaspoon each cumin powder, coriander powder & red chili powder and mix well. The Chutney is ready.

How to make the red chili & garlic chutney:

1. Soak the garlic and the whole dried red chili in hot water for 10 mins.

2. Grind them into a fine paste.  Add 1 teaspoon vinegar. Strain to separate the pulp from the juices and set aside. The chutney should be of pourable consistency (refer the picture) but not too runny.

How to make the Masala Peanuts:

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough release the peanuts sautee for 1-2 mins.

2. Add the red chili powder, salt, and the lemon juice and saute for 5 mins or until the peanuts become crunchy and well coated with the masala. Set aside.

How to cook the potato filling:

1. Mash the boiled potatoes with a potato masher and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and gently release the chopped onions, saute for 5 mins or until translucent. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes become mushy.

3. Now add the tamarind and dates chutney, the dabeli masala powder, salt and saute for 5 mins or until everything blends very well into a soft & smooth consistency. 

4. Add the boiled and mashed potato and Cover & cook for 5 mins. Switch off the flame and allow the filling to cool down completely.

5. Please note that you may either add the chutney + the dabeli masala to the onion & tomato mixture and then add the boiled potato or you may also add the boiled potato first to the onion & tomato mixture and then add the chutney + the dabeli masala. Both ways work beautifully well. Here, I have added the chutney + dabeli masala first and then added the boiled potato.

How to Garnish the Potato filling:

1. When the potato filling has cooled down completely garnish it with fresh pomegranate seeds, masala peanuts, chopped onion, and chopped coriander/cilantro leaves and set aside.

How to Assemble the Dabeli:

1. Slice all the Ladi Pavs or the dinner rolls, flip them open and toast them with butter over medium-high heat ( both sides ). Set aside.

2. Take one sliced ladi pav or dinner roll and generously apply the tamarind & dates chutney on one side and the red chili & garlic chutney on the other side. (refer the picture).

3. Next, scoop 2 tablespoons or more potato filling and put it inside the sliced and chutney slathered pavs. Add some more chutneys on the potato filling. and gently close the pavs, do not press them. 

4. Gently close the pavs and coat the sides of the Dabeli with fine sev. Dust off excess sev. 

5. Enjoy your Kutchi Dabeli!

Recipe Card For Step-By-Step Dabeli Recipe-Indian Street Food:

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.