Dabeli

Ingredients for the sandwich and filling (dabeli)

• 4 burger buns (pav)

• 1.5 tbsp dabeli spice mix

• 1/4th cup peanuts, roasted and coarsely crushed

• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• 2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

• 1 tbsp sugar

• Salt, to taste

• 1/3rd cup of water

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

• 1/4th bhujia or sev, optional if you like some crunch in your sandwich
  

Ingredients for the spice mix (dabeli masala)

• 2 dry red chillies

• ½ tbsp coriander seeds

• 3 cloves

• ½ inch cinnamon stick

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 6 whole black peppercorns

Cooking notes

• Dabeli is a spicy street food from Gujarat, India. Potatoes cooked in a spice mix and tamarind paste are served in a burger bun. This is my easy take on the recipe.

• Makes 4-6 servings.

Method

1. In a hot pan, roast the ingredients for the spice mix for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Once cool, grind these up to get about 1.5 tablespoons of spice mix (i.e. masala).

2. Heat the oil, and once hot add the cumin seeds. After the seeds crackle, add in the potatoes, spice mix, lemon juice, tamarind paste, sugar, salt, and mix well for 1-2 minutes.

3. To this, add in the water, and keep stirring until most of it is absorbed (about 1-2 minutes), and you have a moist potato filling with the consistency of a thick paste.

4. Turn off the heat. Fold in the coriander leaves, chopped onion, and peanuts into this paste.

5. Dollop a scoop of the filling on a warm, roasted bun – and sprinkle with more peanuts, sev, ketchup or anything you fancy. Enjoy hot!

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