Recipe: Natasha's Kutchi Dabeli

Chef Natasha Gandhi grew up eating dabeli, and she loves the dish.

"Especially the masala peanuts," she quips. "My favourite place to eat dabeli in Mumbai is Vithal Dabeli near Mulund station (north east Mumbai)."

The home chef shares her recipe for Kutchi Dabeli made with a spicy masala, peanuts, garlic chutney and a filling of boiled potatoes.

Best made over the weekend, you can top it with grated coconut, pomegranate arils or seed pods and chopped coriander leaves.

Kutchi Dabeli

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

For the dabeli masala

• ¼ cup dhania or coriander seeds
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• 1 tsp sabut kali mirch or black peppercorns
• 1 tej patta or bay leaf
• 1 tbsp saunf or fennel seeds
• ½ tsp lavang or cloves
• 1 chakra phool or star anise
• 1 badi elaichi or black cardamom
• 1inch-piece dalcheeni or cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp kalpasi or stone flower, optional
• Salt to taste, around 1 tsp
• 1 tsp spicy red chilly powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilly powder

For the masala peanuts

• Peanut oil as required, around 2-3 tsp
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
• 300 gm peanuts
• 1 tbsp gud or jaggery
• 1 tbsp dabeli masala

For the spicy garlic chutney

• 15-20 garlic pods, ground into a paste
• Water
• Oil as required, around 2 tsp
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder

For the imli chutney

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tsp spicy red chilly powder
• 1 cup tamarind pulp
• ½ tsp salt
• Small ball jaggery
• 1 tbsp dabeli masala

For the dabeli filling

• 6 boiled potatoes, peeled
• 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp red chilly powder
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
• 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
• 1 tsp dabeli masala
• 1 tbsp imli chutney
• Salt as required, around 1 tsp
• Small ball jaggery
• Oil, as required
• Water
• ½ cup fresh shredded coconut
• ½ cup fresh chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves
• 100 gm pomegranate arils or seed pods
• 10-15 green grapes, slit

To assemble

• 4-5 pavs
• 100 gm nylon sev
• 2 onions, chopped

Method

For the dabeli masala

• Roast all the whole spices in a kadhai or frying pan until fragrant.
  Take off heat and cool. 
  Transfer into a blender.
  Add the salt.
  Add the Kashmiri and spicy red chilly powders.
  Grind to a fine powder.
  Transfer into a dry bottle and keep aside. 

For the masala peanuts

• Heat the peanut oil in a kadhai or frying pan.
  Add the peanuts and roast.
  Add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, dabeli masala, jaggery and the salt.
  Mix well.
  Keep aside.

For the spicy garlic chutney

• Heat the oil in a kadhai or frying pan.
  Add the garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  Add the Kashmiri red chilly powder.
  Add little water and cook till the oil separates.
  Remove from heat and keep aside.

For the imli chutney

• Heat the oil in a kadhai or frying pan.
  Add the turmeric powder and the red chilly powder.
  Add the tamarind pulp.
  Once you get a medium-thick consistency, add the salt, jaggery and the dabeli masala.
  Mix well until all the ingredients are well combined.
  Take off heat and keep aside.

For the dabeli filling

• Heat the oil in a kadhai or saucepan.
  Add the turmeric powder and the red chilly powder.
  Add a little water.
  Mash the boiled potatoes and add.
  Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, dabeli masala, imli chutney, salt, jaggery.
  Add the water and cook to the right consistency.
  Take off heat and spread the filling on a plate.
  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut, pomegranate arils, and green grapes.

To assemble

• Slice 1 pav.
  Add the garlic chutney.
  Add some imli chutney.
  Add the potato filling.
  Add a few masala peanuts.
  Garnish with the chopped onions and the sev.
  Repeat process with the other pavs.
  Toast the dabeli on a hot frying pan until crisp.
• Serve warm. 

WATCH: Natasha shares her recipe of Kutchi Dabeli. 

Natasha Gandhi is a MasterChef India Season 6 contestant and the founder of House of Millets.