I don’t get emotional about every kind of junk food, but ‘yaha mein pighal gaya’ (here is where I melted). Kacchi Dabeli, a street food I found in Pune originates from Gujarat and has an interesting story associated to how it became prevalent across states. As a routine visit to my aunt every year, I came to the state of Maharashtra in December 2022.
I won’t lie; one of the first things that interest me about coming over is a savory piece of Kacchi Dabeli. So much so that I had to explore the origin story and give you a brief overview of the same.
Maharashtra and their pav
Maharashtra loves their pav. Be it Misal Pav or Vada Pav, they are at it all the time.
Pavs/paos are buns that either have stuffed filling inside (Vada Pav) or come with accompaniments (Misal Pav).
Trying Misal Pav was a disaster for us in December 2021. Four hungry Bengalis couldn’t bear the taste of ‘jhol’ (curry) with Chanachur. So, we let that slide.
My folks don’t really like Vada Pao as well. But it is almost a ritual for me to land in Pune airport and buy an overpriced Vada Pao and a cup of tea.
There is something about the buns with a wholesome filling that makes all the difference.
What is a dabeli?
Dabeli is a Gujarati street food. It is a flavorful snack, and the taste is inexplicable when they add cheese to it.
The name “dabeli” comes from “dabli”, or to press a Gujaratis say it.
The recipe requires you to chop the pillow pao from the middle, add stuffing and press it. So, the name justifies this lip-smacking delicacy.
The recipe includes pav, a spicy Dabeli mix of mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, and pomegranate seeds. There are variations to the recipe, and adding cheese to it is what I love the most.
Adding tamarind chutney and green chutney makes it more flavorful and minty. The final touch includes grilling on the tawa and butter to burn both sides of the pav.
The result is a crispy and crunchy snack. Having two of these can replace a full meal, which is my excuse to skip dinners here in Pune.
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Dabeli origin
I began writing this post because of the exciting story behind the Dabeli origin.
Around the 1960s, a street vendor explored all the possibilities of making a tasty snack with pav, roasted peanuts, sev, and other accompaniments. He hailed from a small town called Mandvi in Kutch.
The name Kutch ki Dabeli resonates with the fact that the man behind this experiment was from this part of Gujarat. His name was Keshavji Gabha Chudasama, also known as Kesha Malam.
He sold this snack to locals, and the taste became popular throughout Bombay Province. While Gujarat and Maharashtra separated on May 1, 1960, the communities kept migrating throughout the 60s and brought along variations of the Kacchi Dabeli recipe.
While Kesha Malam expanded his business, little did he know that the popularity of his snack would become a household name across the states.
How to make Kacchi Dabeli at home?
The preparation of Dabeli is a simple process, yet it requires precision and skill to get the right balance of flavours. The mashed potato curry is prepared with lots of spices like cumin, coriander, and red chilli powder to create a ‘chatpati’ filling. The peanuts are roasted and ground to create a crunchy texture and a nutty flavour. The sweet and tangy tamarind chutney and the spicy green chutney are prepared separately to balance the dish’s sweet and spicy flavours.
Ingredients
Dabeli can be easily prepared at home with the right ingredients and equipment. To make the dish, you will need pao, boiled and mashed potatoes, roasted and ground peanuts, tamarind chutney, green chutney, and various spices. You can also add other ingredients, such as pomegranate seeds, sev, and chopped onions, to customize as per taste.
How to prepare
- To make the dish, start by heating a tawa on medium
- Cut the pav buns in half and spread a generous amount of the spicy potato mixture on one half of the bun
- Top the mixture with a sprinkle of roasted and ground peanuts, some pomegranate seeds, and a drizzle of both the tamarind chutney and the green chutney
- Place the other half of the bun on top and press down lightly
Place the prepared kacchi dabeli on the heated tawa and grill for a few minutes on each side until the bun is crispy and brown.
Pro tip: if you buy dabeli masala and add it to the mashed potato, you will make a more flavorful piece of the same!
Where to find Kachchi Dabeli?
I have been living in Jaipur for a year, but surprisingly haven’t found it here. Rajasthan is close to Gujarat, so I had thought the recipe might be floating around here too.
Gujarat and Maharashtra are supposedly the only two states where you will find this street food. But you can always look through food apps to search for a Dabeli as many metro cities have a variety of food options.
Back in Kolkata, I found restaurants that sold Dabeli. But even if you taste something similar to the original, it won’t be what it authentically tastes like.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is it called Kacchi Dabeli?
The food originated from Kutch region in Gujarat, so it was primarily called Kutch Ki Dabeli. Later, it turned into Kachchi Dabeli and that’s how we call it today.
2. Is kacchi dabeli healthy?
If you make this at home, you can add it to your diet. A mixture of ghee and peanuts can add good fats while letting you add a tiny portion of carbs.
3. Is dabeli Gujarati or Maharashtrian?
It originated from Gujarat but became widely available in Maharashtra as the recipe was brought here by Kesha Malam who popularized the snack in this state.
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