What is Dabeli in India’s street food scene ?
Dabeli (pronounced Dha-Bay-lee) is a desi burger sort sold as street food in Western India.
Dabeli is a spicy, tangy Indian street food from Gujarat, made with a flavorful potato filling, chutneys, crunchy peanuts, and pomegranate seeds, all stuffed in a buttery pav. It’s a delicious explosion of sweet, sour, and savory in every bite!
I was introduced to Dabeli when I came to Mumbai and remember picking up a couple on the way back home from the the vendor at the Mumbai local railway station. Street food is bustling for busy office goers and school goers alike. Street food like Pav Bhaji. Bhel, Dabeli, Tava Pulao, Mumbai Sandwich and the like are the lifeline of the busy metropolis and street food can be quite filling.
On busy office days, till dinner got made, this was a filling snack. Sometimes it used to be a wholesome dinner by itself along with a bowl of fruit / smoothie. A lot of pantry essentials go into this and although it’s a tad tedious on prep work, it’s worth every minute of the wait. I have used store bought Pav-buns (dinner rolls) for this, but you could also use home made rolls. Don’t skimp on the butter here (vegans can use vegan butter like Earth balance or homemade stuff).
The rich vibrancy of Street food in india
Street food in India is a vibrant mosaic of regional flavors, each dish telling a story of its origin and culture. Some of the most iconic include:
- Pani Puri (Golgappa) – Originating from North India, especially Uttar Pradesh, this crispy puri filled with spicy, tangy water is a beloved chaat across the country.
- Vada Pav – Known as Mumbai’s own burger, this spicy potato fritter stuffed in a bun with chutneys hails from Maharashtra.
- Dabeli – A sweet and spicy snack made with mashed potatoes, chutneys, and pomegranate seeds in a pav, originally from Kutch, Gujarat.
- Aloo Tikki Chaat – A crispy potato patty topped with yogurt, chutneys, and spices, popular in Delhi and Northern India.
- Mumbai Pav Bhaji – The quintessential Street food of Mumbai – potato based tangy curry with buttered dinner rolls
- Momos – Originally from Tibet and Nepal, momos are now a street food favorite in Northeast India and Delhi, served steamed or fried with spicy sauces.
- Kathi Roll – A flaky paratha rolled with spiced fillings like chicken or paneer, this delicious wrap comes from Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Idli and Dosa – Though traditionally breakfast items, these fermented rice and lentil dishes are popular street eats in Tamil Nadu and South India.
Each dish adds to the colorful and flavorful landscape of India’s ever-evolving street food culture
Where did Dabeli originate ?
Legend has it that Dabeli, also known as Kutchi Dabeli, originated in the Kutch region of Gujarat, India.
It was invented in the 1960s by a street vendor named Keshavji Gabha Chudasama in the town of Mandvi. The word “dabeli” means “pressed” in Gujarati, referring to the way the spiced potato mixture is pressed into a pav (bread roll).
Originally a humble, local snack, its unique blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors quickly gained popularity and spread across India, becoming a beloved street food staple in states like Maharashtra and beyond.
Other street foods from across India include:
Tips and tricks to make the best Dabeli:
1. The addition of the pomegranate pearls and roasted peanuts along with the fine sev takes this dish to another textural high, so be sure not to skimp them
2. The roasting of the stuffed pav with butter is totally optional, although its highly recommended. If you are vegan and / or cant find vegan butter, you may use any neutral il.
3. Serve this as soon as its made. For parties or potlucks, you may keep all elements ready beforehand, and only assemble quickly on a hot pan before serving.
4. This dish was very well appreciated by all at home, including mom (who doesn’t really prefer street food), so I used burger buns too when I ran out of pav buns. Burger buns render themselves beautifully so this dish can be called a Desi Burger 🙂
5. If you want a Jain / satvik version of this, simply skip the onions and garlic chutney, and replace potatoes with mashed raw banana. The taste might differ, though.
6. Can be GF as well if the dinner rolls are made of GF flour, but I haven’t tried it yet. Look forward to a GF version from my readers 🙂
7. The potato filling can be stored upto 3-4 days under refrigeration. In fact, I recommend you make a double or triple of the following recipe, for its delicious and vanishes in no time 🙂
Prep time – 30 min, cook time – 20 Mins. Makes – 6 to 8 Dabeli
Cuisine – Gujarati ; course – snack
I made the Dabeli masala, Garlic chutneys & Masala peanuts all from scratch. These will feature as separate posts shorlty.
Ingredients to make Kutchi Dabeli:
- 650 grams Potatoes (about 5 large)
- 3 tsp Oil (any neutral oil)
- 2 tsp melter Butter (mixed well with the oil)
- 4 TBSP Dabeli Masala (store-bought or home-made)
- 1.5 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup Roasted Masala Peanuts
- 1/4 cup Chopped Onions
- 1/8 cup Chopped Coriander
- 1/4 cup Date-Tamarind Chutney (mixed with 2 TBSP water
- 1/4 cup Garlic Chutney (mixed with 2 TBSP water)
- 1/4 cup Pomegranate pearls
- 8 Pav (sub with Slider buns / dinner rolls)
Prep:
- Boil Potatoes (skin or otherwise) – mash them and keep aside. I mashed them with the skin intact
- Make Garlic, & the date -tamarind chutneys and keep aside. Roast spices for Dabeli Masala, cool and powder. Keep it aside.
- Make roasted spicy peanuts. Cool and keep aside.
PIN FOR LATER
How to make Kutchi Dabeli stuffing:
- In a pan, heat half of the butter-oil mixture. Add the mashed potatoes, 3/4 of the Dabeli Masala and mix gently till the masala coats the potatoes. Add 1-1.5 TBSP of the date-tamarind paste and mix inside.
- Stir till the mixture leaves the sides and is fully dry (without any residual moisture). Once slightly cool, transfer to a flat plate, level with the back of a spoon / flat ladle, sprinkle coriander, pomo pearls and onions. Keep aside.
- Note – As the DAbeli masala and the tamarind-date paste had salt, I didn’t add any extra salt. You may add as required.
To assemble Kutchi Dabeli
- Heat a tava / skillet on medium flame. Take a pav bun / slider bun. slit horizontally but not fully . Apply both the chutneys on the insides, Add a spoon of the above potato filling and push it slightly in, add a tsp of the roasted masala peanuts, and cover with another tsp of the spicy potato filling.
- Roll the sides of the cut bun in a flat plate filled with sev (fried gramflour vermicelli). Place on a greased tava, let it warm till slightly crispy.
- Serve immediately. Repeat for each pav and enjoy 🙂
Dabeli | How to make Kutchi Dabeli
Equipment
- PRessure cook Sub with Insant Pot
- Thick Bottomed Pan
- Tava / Skillet
Ingredients
- 650 grams Potatoes about 5 large
- 3 tsp Oil any neutral oil
- 2 tsp melter Butter mixed well with the oil
- 4 TBSP Dabeli Masala store-bought or home-made
- 1.5 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup Roasted Masala Peanuts
- 1/4 cup Chopped Onions
- 1/8 cup Chopped Coriander
- 1/4 cup Date-Tamarind Chutney (mixed with 2 TBSP water
- 1/4 cup Garlic Chutney mixed with 2 TBSP water
- 1/4 cup Pomegranate pearls
- 8 Pav sub with Slider buns / dinner rolls
Instructions
Prep:
- Boil Potatoes (skin or otherwise) – mash them and keep aside. I mashed them with the skin intact
- Make Garlic, & the date -tamarind chutneys and keep aside. Roast spices for Dabeli Masala, cool and powder. Keep it aside.
- Make roasted spicy peanuts. Cool and keep aside.
Make the stuffing:
- In a pan, heat half of the butter-oil mixture. Add the mashed potatoes, 3/4 of the Dabeli Masala and mix gently till the masala coats the potatoes. Add 1-1.5 TBSP of the date-tamarind paste and mix inside.
- Stir till the mixture leaves the sides and is fully dry (without any residual moisture). Once slightly cool, transfer to a flat plate, level with the back of a spoon / flat ladle, sprinkle coriander, pomo pearls and onions. Keep aside.
- Note – As the DAbeli masala and the tamarind-date paste had salt, I didn’t add any extra salt. You may add as required.
Assembly and serve:
- Heat a tava / skillet on medium flame. Take a pav bun / slider bun. slit horizontally but not fully . Apply both the chutneys on the insides, Add a spoon of the above potato filling and push it slightly in, add a tsp of the roasted masala peanuts, and cover with another tsp of the spicy potato filling.
- Roll the sides of the cut bun in a flat plate filled with sev (fried gramflour vermicelli). Place on a greased tava, let it warm till slightly crispy.
- Serve immediately. Repeat for each pav and enjoy 🙂
It is one of my favorite street foods that I haven't tried at home yet. I have all the masalas in my pantry but somehow this doesn't happen at home. Hope I get a push now 🙂
Totally love it.
Second dabeli recipe on the same day , looks like dabeli day on the Mega BM 🙂 Dabeli looks so perfect Kalyani, wish i could grab one from the screen. Even i had this my todo list for this BM, but somehow missed them. Now it's really tempting to see all those dabeli recipes !!!
I love dabeli, it is easier to make than vada pav and doesn’t need deep frying. It is equally delicious. You and Preeti are tempting me to make this some time soon.
Dabeli is a popular street food all over the globe and I can see two Dabelis today which is making me drool ! It’s breakfast time and I don’t mind Nd this desi burger loaded with peanuts , pomegranate and that crunchy sev ! Awesome !
Omg, am ready to die for a plate of dabeli, somehow am yet to prepare this ultimate street food at home. Love to grab and have those alluring dabeli rite now though its bit earlier to have them. Tempting to the core Kalyani.
Dabeli is such an popular pick among street foods . You have re created the magic exactly to the point. Delicious!!
wow these spiced potatoes stuffed buns with loads of flavor looks so delicious.. Delicious is just a word they look beyond it , I am getting tempted .. wonderful pictorials kalyani !! I would love to have them any time of the day !!
This is the second Dabeli I am drooling over today! I guess every minute of the prep work is totally worth it!
We too have this as dinner with either lassi or rosemilk. Can't get enough of this yummylicious dabeli Kalyani. Those roasted peanuts and that sev and shiny bun yum yum yum
Dabeli looks wonderful Kalyani. With crunchy peanut, pomegranate and sev, this must be divine..
Another dabeli to drool over!..your version looks so sinful Kalyani, what a lovely choice for D!..
I really need to make some dabeli soon. Maybe I will start with using store bought dabeli spice. Absolutely love the textures in the dabeli!
Your post reminds me that how it's been few years I made Dabeli. Looks so tempting with spicy potato filling.
Wow Kalyani, another killing dabeli for today! Looks perfect, those glossy buns are calling my name!! Commenting after dinner is such a pain, all these yummy food is making me hungry again!!
As you mentioned, I love how you can make dabeli to feed a crowd. Haven't made dabeli in a long time. I usually don't spice up the peanuts but will do so when I prepare dabeli next time.
I also shared dabeli with letter d… its really amazing experience.. your dish looks so perfect.
It looks perfectly made, Kalyani. I couldn't find pomegranate and had to leave out dabeli from my list of street foods.