Kutchi Dabeli, a desi burger reigns high as Mumbai Street food, for its lip-smacking taste, satiety and ease to eat on the go. Dabeli which literally means ‘squashed’ is a pressed bun or pav that holds a potato mash doused with tangy chutneys. The commonality with Vada pav ends with the pav and patty.
This flavour burst is a soft bun, that sandwiches a lightly spiced potato mash, tangy hot and sweet chutneys. The crunch of the sev, peanuts and juicy pomegranate arils lends to the mouthfeel.. The sprinkle of special Dabeli masala gives this desi snack a edge over the foreign burger.
A peek into history leads us to a small town in Kutch …Mandvi. Legend has it that in 1960, Keshavji Gabha Chudasama invented this snack. He would sell it for 6 paise each. Slowly with time and travel the Kutchi dabeli also transformed. Today you have the corn dabeli, cheese dabeli, dry fruit dabelis, peri peri dabeli…… the list is endless.
Ingredients for Kutchi Dabeli:
- Potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed – 2 cups
- Mint-coriander chutney – 1 cup
- Date-tamarind chutney – 2 cups
- Masala peanuts – 1 cup
- Fresh pomegranate seeds – 1 cup
- Fine sev – 1 cup
- Butter, as needed
- Pav – 6 nos
- Chopped coriander leaves – ½ cup
- Peanut oil – 2 tbsp
- Salt, to taste
Kutchi Dabeli Preparation Method:
- Heat oil in a heavy kadai. Once medium hot add the dabeli masala powder and quickly stir for a minute.
- Add the mashed potatoes, 1 cup of tamarind-jaggery chutney (adjust according to your preference), masala peanuts, sev, and salt and mix them all together.
- Switch off the flame, add the pomegranate arils and coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Take the pav. Slit in the centre. Lightly roast the pav with little butter on a hot griddle.
- Remove and spread some tamarind chutney and fill with the potato masala. Press the pav well and roast again lightly on the girdle.
- Remove, and dip the Pav edges into sev. Serve.
