Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Dabeli
A sweet, spicy, and tangy street-food sandwich from Gujarat. A soft bun stuffed with a spiced potato mixture, pomegranates, and roasted peanuts.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- laddi pav (soft buns)
- potatoes
- dabeli masala
- tamarind chutney (sweet)
- garlic chutney (spicy)
- masala peanuts
- pomegranate arils
- onions
- fine sev
- butter
- oil
Equipment
- Frying pan or Tawa
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Dabeli Masala Paste
In a small bowl, mix store-bought Dabeli Masala powder with a little water and sweet tamarind chutney to form a wet paste. (This prevents the spices from burning).
- 2
Boil Potatoes
Boil, peel, and thoroughly mash the potatoes.
- 3
Cook the Filling
Heat a little oil in a pan. Add the Dabeli masala paste and sauté for 1 minute.
- 4
Combine Mashed Potatoes
Add the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix well. Add a little water to make the mixture soft and slightly moist, not dry. Cook for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
- 5
Plate the Filling
Transfer the potato mixture to a flat plate and spread it out evenly in a thick layer.
- 6
Decorate the Filling
Press spicy masala peanuts, pomegranate arils, fresh coriander, and fine sev firmly into the top of the potato layer.
- 7
Slit the Bun
Take a soft Laddi Pav and slit it horizontally, leaving one side attached.
- 8
Apply Chutneys
Smear sweet tamarind chutney on one side of the bun and spicy garlic chutney on the other side.
- 9
Stuff the Bun
Scoop a generous square of the decorated potato filling and stuff it inside the bun.
- 10
Add Fresh Crunch
Add finely chopped raw onions inside the bun.
- 11
Toast with Butter
Heat butter on a tawa (griddle). Toast the stuffed bun on both sides, pressing down lightly, until the bread is golden and crisp.
- 12
Seal with Sev
Roll the open edges of the hot sandwich in a plate of fine Sev so the noodles stick to the filling. Serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
- The potato mixture must be soft and spreadable. If it's too dry, it won't hold the peanuts and pomegranates properly.
- Dabeli literally translates to 'pressed'. Do not be afraid to press the bun gently on the tawa.
Variations
- Cheese Dabeli: Grate cheese into the bun before toasting.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Originating from the Kutch region of Gujarat, Dabeli is often called the 'Kutchi Burger'.
Nutrition Estimate
380 calories · 7g protein · 56g carbs · 15g fat · 5g fiber per serving
