June 28, 2020

Cheese Dabeli – A Popular Indian Chaat loved by all.

I feel if I am asked to exist on Mumbai street food or chaat as it is locally called all my life I would gladly do it. And mind you that is not an exaggeration. The diversity available with this kind of food makes my job all the more easier. So, when a friend sent over some of her homemade “Dabeli” for me to try on I knew I wanted more, and I mean a lot more. That naturally meant I had to make it with a twist “Cheese Dabeli” and post it on the blog which is exactly what I did. I am proud to say it is India’s answer to the burger/sloppy joe’s and packs a lot more punch compared to either of them.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DABELI???

Now if y’all are wondering what a Dabeli is then imagine a local bread i.e. pav stuffed with delectably spiced mashed potatoes and topped with a bunch of delightful goodies ranging from different chutneys to a crunchy snack called sev to sweet pomegranate seeds. Now if that does not make you drool then I do not know what will.

This dish did not exactly originate in Mumbai but is a gift from our neighboring state of Gujarat and a very tasty one at that. The people in this state are a genuinely warm and affectionate lot whose cuisine accurately reflects their personality. They do not eat a lot of meat, so they have an immense array of vegetarian recipes to choose from with most of the recipes being mildly spiced.

One of my first roomies, when I came to the US, was a Gujarati guy and our friendship which has lasted close to 15 years is still going strong. It should come as no surprise to y’all when I say the friend who sent over the Dabeli to us is also a Gujarati.

Eating that authentic Gujarati Dabeli bought back nostalgic memories of my college days i.e. snacking out with my buddies after college at the local snack shop. Here are some other favorites of mine from those days. PANI PURI and Black Bean Sev Puri

DABELI MASALA.

One of the essential ingredients of this recipe is that typical spice blend or Dabeli Masala which gives the dish its unique flavor. There are plenty of variations of what makes a good blend depending upon the Gujarati household. As for me I was in a hurry to make this recipe so I went to the Indian store and bought a premade one.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESE DABELI?

Considering the other flavors that were going to go in the recipe I kept the potato mixture extremely simple with chilies, a tangy dry mango powder and the dabeli masala. Sometimes you do not need to do a lot for the food to taste good.

CHUTNEYS for extra deliciousness!!!!

Now it was time for the toppings to work their magic.

There was a garlicky tone to the dish due to a garlic chutney
Then there was something sweet and tangy with a tamarind chutney.

But that is not all since there was nothing crunchy yet. So, in went the masala peanuts (spiced peanuts) as well as the thin sev.

For all the cheese lovers I added extra cheese as well.

This entire thing is precisely packed in an Indian bread called pav. It is like a dinner roll but made without eggs. It can also absorb the chutneys without turning soggy which makes it an ideal vehicle. Cheese Dabeli is perfect for any party or tiffin box.

I couldn’t wait to dig in and get messy with the toppings all over my face. Wifey prolonged my agony a bit more by making me take pictures first. Finally I got my hands on the Dabeli and my world was instantly a better place.

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Other Chaat Recipes you may Enjoy !!

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