If you’ve had the famous Gujarati street food Kutchi Dabeli, you know it’s all about bold flavor and texture, and this tried-and-tested recipe truly delivers that authentic taste. Soft pav are filled with spicy and tangy mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, chutneys, sev, and a touch of sweetness from pomegranate. It’s crunchy, comforting, and absolutely addictive!
Gujarati food is one of my favorites. It has so much variety, and the sweet, spicy, tangy flavors in Gujarati food are just amazing.
I have shared many Gujarati recipes, such as Gujarati dal, khaman, dhebra, etc. Today, I want to share the famous Kutchi Dabeli recipe with you all.
I used to only enjoy Dabeli at street stalls, but now I love making it at home too. I will not deny that there are many steps to making dabeli. However, many of them can be meal-prepped. E.g., you can make the dabeli masala, spiced peanuts, and chutneys the day before.
If you are hosting a party, Dabeli is an excellent dish to add as an appetizer. My family loves dabeli for a chaat-style dinner. I make sure to reduce the spice, as my kids enjoy dabeli too.
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make Dabeli
- Dabeli – Popular Indian Street Food
- What is Dabeli?
- Ingredients you’ll need
- How to make Dabeli Masala?
- How to make Spicy Peanuts?
- How to make Potato Masala for Kacchi Dabeli?
- How to Make Dabeli?
- Expert Tips
- Common Questions
- More Gujarati Recipes You’ll Love
- Kutchi Dabeli (Authentic Street Style Recipe) Recipe
Watch How to Make Dabeli
Dabeli – Popular Indian Street Food
The word “Dabeli” means “pressed.” Originating in Gujarat, India, dabeli is a popular street food that has gained nationwide popularity. It is made with a spicy potato filling and served with a variety of toppings, such as sev, pomegranate pearls, and chutneys.
Typically, dabeli is eaten in the evening with tea or coffee. But really, it is excellent for lunch or dinner too.
What is Dabeli?
Dabeli originated in the Kutch region of Gujarat in Western India and is a famous street snack. Sweet and spicy potatoes are served on a pav (savory dinner roll). Dabeli is also called Kutchi dabeli.
Kutchi dabeli is an excellent meal for a casual lunch with the family. It’s also a terrific snack to make during casual gatherings and parties.
We love to enjoy Dabeli from the street vendors when we need a quick snack!
Ingredients you’ll need
Pav: Buy fresh pav or make it at home for the best taste.
Kutchi Dabeli Masala: The key ingredient in the potato filling is dabeli masala, which gives it a unique flavor. To make it, you’ll need cumin, coriander seeds, fennel, black peppercorns, cinnamon, black cardamon, cloves, star anise, bay leaf, sesame seeds, dry coconut, turmeric, sugar, salt, and amchur.
For Peanuts: Masala Peanuts are made by mixing peanuts with vegetable oil, salt, turmeric, dabeli masala, and red chili powder.
Aloo Masala: The potato filling in this dish is delicious. It’s sour, hot, and sweet all at once. To make Aloo masala, you will need oil, red chili powder, turmeric powder, dabeli masala, water, mashed potatoes, tamarind chutney, thin sev, peanuts, cilantro, coconut, pomegranate, and salt.
To finish: you’ll need butter, red onions, sev, red chili garlic chutney, and tamarind chutney.
How to make Dabeli Masala?
- First, we roast whole spices—coriander, cumin, fennel, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves—in a pan.
- Also, add star anise, bay leaf, sesame seed, dry coconut, and dried red chili.
- It is best to roast the spices over low heat so they do not burn. Roast until you get their aroma.
- Let the spices cool down completely, then transfer to a spice grinder.
- Then add turmeric, amchur, sugar, and salt, and grind it to a fine powder.
- The dabeli masala is ready. You can use or store it for later. This masala stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Tip: It is okay to use store-bought Dabeli masala if you are short on time. However, I highly recommend making it fresh, as the flavor and aroma are amazing!
How to make Spicy Peanuts?
- In the same pan, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, then add peanuts. Toss them in the oil and roast them on low heat until they are lightly golden on the edges.
- Add turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and the prepared dabeli masala.
- Toss to coat the spices with the peanuts. Cook for another couple of minutes on low heat. Switch off the heat and transfer to a plate.
Tip: If you prefer, you can use roasted peanuts from the store. It is okay to use salted roasted peanuts too. Just skip the salt when adding the spices.
How to make Potato Masala for Kacchi Dabeli?
- Boil potatoes in a pressure cooker or pot. Here is my recipe for boiling potatoes in an instant pot.
- Peel and mash the potatoes coarsely.
- Add the prepared dabeli masala, tamarind chutney, and water to a bowl. Mix well, making sure there are no lumps.
- Heat oil in a large kadai.
- Pour the masala mixture into the oil. Cook for two minutes or until the smell changes.
- Now, add the mashed potato and salt and stir well.
- Make sure everything is well mixed as you mash and stir the potato masala.
- Now transfer the mixture to a plate.
- Top with chopped cilantro leaves, sev, pomegranate seeds, shredded coconut, and spiced peanuts on top.
How to Make Dabeli?
First, slit the pav in half down the middle without cutting through. Then, put tamarind chutney on one side and red chili garlic chutney on the other.
Stuff the aloo mixture with a spoon. Top with finely chopped onions and peanuts.
Now, toast the pav in butter, ensuring both sides turn golden.
Roll the dabeli in sev so that sev sticks to three sides of the pav. You can also roll in the spiced peanuts for the extra crunch.
Serve right away with more masala peanuts & chopped onions on the side.
Expert Tips
Dabeli Masala: If you already have ready-made Dabeli Masala at home, use it. But I recommend making it from scratch as the flavor and aroma are better.
Potato Mixture: Add a couple more tablespoons of water if the potato mixture seems slightly dry while cooking. Make sure the potato filling is smooth and free of lumps. To get rid of the lumps, use a potato masher.
Leftover Masala: If you have any Dabeli Masala left over after making this dish, sprinkle it on rice, vegetables, or even dal dishes. It only makes the taste better. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Potato mixture left over and no pavs? Don’t worry. Put the mix between two slices of bread to make a delicious sandwich.
Common Questions
Dabeli is a delicious, filling street food that can be enjoyed as a snack or a meal.
Dabeli pairs well with a hot cup of masala chai or a refreshing glass of buttermilk to balance the spices. You can also serve it with mango lassi or sweet lassi.
The potato filling made for dabeli is extremely delicious. You can put the mixture between two slices of bread to make a tasty sandwich.
Soup
Gujarati Kadhi
Desserts
Gujarati Magas
Appetizers & Snacks
Gujarati Khandvi
Appetizers & Snacks
Gujarati Handvo (Savory Rice & Lentil Cake)
Rice & Grains
Gujarati Methi Thepla (Easy, Authentic Recipe)
Lentils & Beans
Dal Dhokli (Lentil Soup with Homemade Dumplings)
Kutchi Dabeli (Authentic Street Style Recipe)
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
Dabeli Masala
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 tablespoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 1 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- 2 Black Cardamon
- 12 Cloves (Laung)
- 2 Star anaise
- 1 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 2 teaspoon White sesame seeds
- 4 tablespoon Dried Coconut Slices
- 6 Dried Red Chili Whole, kashmiri red chili prefered
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
Masala Peanuts
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 cup Peanuts
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Dabeli masala, prepared in the recipe
Aloo mixture
- 4 tablespoon Tamarind Chutney
- 1/2 cup Water
- 4 tablespoon Oil
- 3 tablespoon Dabeli Masala, prepared in the recipe
- 6 Potatoes, boiled and peeled, about. 3cups
- 4 tablespoon Nylon sev
- 4 tablespoon Pomegranate seeds
- 4 tablespoon Spiced peanut, prepared in the recipe
- 1-2 tablespoon Grated Coconut
- Cilantro leaves, to garnish
For serving
- 10-12 Dinner rolls (Pav)
- Chili Garlic Chutney, as needed, about 1 teaspoon per dabeli
- Tamarind Chutney, as needed, about 1-2 teaspoon per dabeli
- Butter, for toasting
- 1/4 cup Red Onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Nylon sev
Instructions
Make Dabeli Masala
- Heat a pan on medium-low heat. Then add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves to the pan. Sauté until fragrant.
- Then add star anise, bay leaf, sesame seed, dry coconut, and dried red chili. Roast the spices over low heat until they are fragrant.
- Let the spices cool down completely, then transfer to a spice grinder. Add turmeric, amchur, sugar, and salt to the grinder and grind them to a fine powder. The dabeli masala is ready.
For Masala Peanuts
- Heat oil in the same pan on medium-low heat. Add in the peanuts. Roast the peanuts until they are lightly golden on the outside while stirring frequently.
- Add the spices in the masala peanuts section. Toss to coat the spices with the peanuts. Cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Switch off the heat, transfer to a bowl.
Make Potato Filling
- Peel and crush the boiled potatoes.
- Add the prepared dabeli masala, tamarind chutney, and water to a bowl. Mix well, making sure there are no lumps.
- Heat oil in a large kadai or wok.
- Pour the masala mixture into the oil. Cook for two minutes, or until you get the aroma of the spices.
- Now add the potato and salt and stir well.
- Make sure everything is well mixed as you mash and mix. Transfer the mixture in into a large plate or tray with edges.
- Top with cilantro, thin sev, shredded coconut, pomegranate seeds, and spiced peanuts.
Assemble Dabeli
- First, slit the pav in half down the middle, without cutting all the way through. Then, put tamarind chutney on one side and red chili garlic chutney on the other.
- Stuff the aloo dabeli mixture. Top with finely chopped onions and peanuts.
- Now, toast the pav in butter, making sure that both sides get a little bit of a golden color.
- Roll the dabeli in sev, so that there is sev sticking on 3 sides of the pav, and then serve right away with more masala peanuts & chopped onions on the side.
Is it possible to prep the dabeli the night before? I’d then just add the mixture to the pav and toast it on the day of the party.
Hi Kruti – Absolutely, best to prep ahead to make it easier on the day of the party.
You have shown good recipes. Some of them I have used but forget to mention it.
Hi Jyoti – I’m glad to hear that you’ve found the recipes helpful.