Dabeli

Dabeli is a street food I grew up eating and till today it is by far my most favorite Gujju "fast food." I still remember the name of the street vendor I use to eat Dabeli from and he is still famous back home - "Karachi Dabeli". I have made this a few different ways but this recipe is the closest to Karachi Dabeli's.

Ingedieants:

For the dabeli masala:

• 1 red chili
• 1 tsp coriander seeds or coriander powder
• ½ inch stick of cinnamon
• 2-3 cloves
• ½ tsp cumin/jeera

For the red garlic chutney

• 1-2 red chilies - soaked in warm water for 30-40 minutes
• ½ cup garlic, chopped
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• jaggery to taste
• salt to taste

For the potato filling

• 3 medium sized potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp dabeli masala
• a pinch of asafoetida/hing
• ½ tsp cumin/jeera
• 1 tomato chopped
• ¼ cup grated coconut
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp water - optional
• salt, red chilli powder, garam masala to taste

for serving

• 4-5 buns or pav sliced and lightly roasted in some butter or oil
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• ½ cup chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
• ½ cup nylon sev
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• garlic chutney - as required
• sweet tamarind and dates chutney - as required

Method:

preparing the dabeli masala powder

1. dry roast the red chili, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and coriander seeds.
2. add all the ingredients in a dry grinder.
3. grind to a fine powder.
4. keep aside.

preparing the red garlic chutney:

1. in a wet grinder or blender, grind the soaked red chilies, garlic, jaggery, lemon juice and salt to a smooth paste.
2. add water if required.
3. keep aside.

preparing the potato stuffing:

1. boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker or microwave oven.
2. peel and mash them and keep aside.
3. in a pan or kadai, heat oil. add cumin.
4. then add chopped onion and fry the onions till they become soft.
5. add asafoetida/hing and fry for a minute on a low flame.
6. add the sweet tamarind dates chutney to the onions and mix well.
7. add the mashed potatoes and again mix well.
8. add the dabeli masala powder to the mashed potatoes.
9. mix well and add salt.
10. cook for 2-3 minutes stirring the mixture.
11. if the mixture looks a little dry then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water.
12. when done, spread the potato filling on a plate.
13. sprinkle some grated coconut on the potato filling.
14. add some chopped coriander on top.
15. now add pomegranate seeds or grapes or both.
16. keep the potato stuffing aside.

serving the dabeli:

1. assemble all the ingredients mentioned under serving in one place.
2. apply the sweet chutney on one slice of the bun and the red garlic chutney on the other side.
3. take burger size patie of the potato filling and put it on top of one of the sides of a bun.
4. add some chopped onion and coriander leaves
5. top it with some roasted peanuts and pomegranate seeds.
6. sprinkle some dabeli masala .
7. lastly, top it with sev.
8. cover with the other slice of the bun.
9. prepare the remaining dabeli pav in the same way and serve dabeli warm.