Dabeli
 | |
| Alternative names | Kutchi Dabeli, Double Roti |
|---|---|
| Type | Snack |
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Kutch |
| Main ingredients | Potatoes, masala, pav (burger bun) |
| This article is part of the series on |
| Indian cuisine |
|---|
 |
Dabeli or Kutchi dabeli or Double Roti (Devnagari: दाबेली - कच्छी दाबेली) is a snack food of India, originating in the Kutch region of Gujarat. It is a spicy snack made by mixing boiled potatoes with a dabeli masala, and putting the mixture between pav (burger bun) and served with chutneys made from tamarind, date, garlic, red chilies, etc. and garnished with pomegranate and roasted peanuts.
Origin
Dabeli literally means "pressed" in Gujarati language.[1] It is said to be invented by one Keshavji Gabha Chudasama alias Kesha Malam, resident of Mandvi, Kutch in the 1960s. When he started business he sold a dabeli at one anna or six paisa. His shop is still there in Mandvi and business is now carried by his next generations.[2]
Dabeli thus has its origin in Mandvi, a city of the Kutch region and even today dabeli masala made in the city are said to be most authentic. The dabeli is also, therefore, known as Kachchhi dabeli or Kutchi dabeli taking its cue from the region of its origin. Bhuj and Nakhatrana towns of Kutch are also known for authentic dabeli apart from Mandvi.
Preparation
The bun which is heated on pan and then the is filled with the filling of boiled potato mixture, dabeli masala and chutney.
Further notes
- Dabeli masala, which is the main ingredient of the dish, is readily available in most of the cities all over India, sold under various brand names mainly manufactured and packed in Kutch. The dabeli masala made from Mandvi and Bhuj are preferred by people for their taste and ethnicity. This dabeli masala is a dry-paste made from dried red-chillies, black-pepper powder, dried coconut, salt, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, turmeric, elachi, badiyan, black-salt, tej-patta and other garam masalas is a specially prepared masala. The debeli masala once made or purchased from shops can be stored and used for over a period of six to twelve months.
- Chutney is an essential part of almost all type of Indian cuisine and these type of chutneys can be prepared in advance and stored and used for at least a fortnight. Now-a-days specially preserved chutney packets are available also in shops in major cities of India and are exported to other countries by some Indian food companies.
- Sev referred above is a type of Indian farsan, which is readily available in farsan shops in all over India and also in other countries, where it is being exported by companies like Haldiram's and others.
Cooking time
- With ready-made dabeli masala, chutneys made-in-advance, Sev readily available, roasted pea-nuts, pomegranate and boiled potato, dabeli hardly takes 5–8 minutes to be prepared and as such has become a popular Indian fast food.
Popularity
Dabeli today is famous not only in Kutch and Gujarat but also throughout Maharashtra, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and many other States of India. Dabeli stalls can be found in metropolitan cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Nasik, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Nagpur, Nizamabad, Raipur, Bilaspur, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, Udaipur, Jaipur, Aurangabad, etc. besides all major cities, towns and tourist spots of Gujarat.
Other common names for Kutchi dabeli are Kutchi burger or Desi burger and Kutchi double roti.
Other dishes of the Kutch or Kutchi cuisine like Kutchi dabeli, Kutchi samosa, Kutchi khaja, Kutchi pakwan, Kutchi khichdi, etc. Dabeli is the most popular dish, popularity of which has not only spread over many parts of India but also overseas.
