Make Ranveer Brar’s spicy Kutchi dabeli at home

Rainy evenings often bring a craving for something spicy, tangy and satisfying. If heading out for street food is not an option, celebrity chef Ranveer Brar’s Kutchi dabeli recipe offers an easy way to recreate the popular snack at home.

Dabeli originated in Mandvi in Gujarat’s Kutch region and later became a much-loved street food across cities including Mumbai. The snack combines a spicy potato filling with sweet and tangy chutneys, peanuts, sev and pomegranate seeds, all packed inside a toasted pav.

Brar’s recipe begins with a homemade dabeli masala. Coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, black cardamom, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, sesame seeds, cinnamon, bay leaves and dried Kashmiri chillies are dry-roasted on low heat. Black salt, Deggi chilli powder and asafoetida are added before the spices are ground into a fine powder. Dry-roasted coconut, peanut oil and sugar complete the masala.

The red garlic chutney is prepared by blending soaked Kashmiri red chillies with garlic, salt, sugar, Deggi chilli powder, peanut oil and peanuts. A little water helps turn the mixture into a smooth paste.

For the filling, grated boiled potatoes are cooked with peanut oil and the prepared dabeli masala. A little water is added while cooking so that the spices coat the potatoes evenly. The mixture is then allowed to cool.

The topping brings several textures and flavours together. Masala-coated roasted peanuts are added along with chopped onions, green chilli, coriander and lemon juice. Nylon sev and pomegranate seeds provide crunch and a hint of sweetness.

To assemble the dabeli, pavs are slit through the centre. Tamarind chutney is spread on one side and red garlic chutney on the other. The potato mixture is then stuffed inside and the edges are coated with nylon sev.

Finally, the stuffed pavs are toasted in butter on both sides until lightly golden. They can be finished with coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds and served hot.

The combination of spicy masala, tangy chutneys, crunchy peanuts and sweet pomegranate makes Kutchi dabeli a flavour-packed street food treat that can easily brighten up a rainy evening at home.