Recipes, Street Food

Dabeli

No Comments

Print
Dabeli

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 4

Dabeli is an Indian Street food available all over India. It is grab and go like food which people can eat as a breakfast, lunch or a snack in a hurry. It is basically a vegetarian slider, the patty is made out of mashed potatoes and spices.
Ingredients
  • 2 russet potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Dabeli masala, See note.
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup tamarind and date chutney, See note.
  • ½ cup salted or spicy peanuts, chopped finely
  • ¼ cup coconut, finely grated
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 12-15 black raisins, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup nylon sev (fine crunchy chickpea flour noodles), See note.
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup garlic chutney, See note.
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 slider buns
Directions
  1. Heat oil in a frying pan on a medium high heat, 2 minutes. Add shallot and sauté it until translucent, 2 minutes. Add mashed potatoes and stir to combine with shallot. Add ½ cup of tamarind and date chutney, dabeli masala, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine with masala. Let mixture cook for 2 to 3 minutes. If mixture is too dry, add some water.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a plate or a baking sheet and spread it in even layer. On top of mixture sprinkle peanuts, coconut, pomegranate seeds, raisins, half of sev and cilantro. Stir the mixture with your hands to combine everything. Divide the mixture into four equal parts and make small patties to fit into slider buns.
  3. Slit the buns without cutting through all the way. Spread about 1 tablespoon each of garlic chutney on one half and tamarind and date chutney on another half. Sprinkle about ½ tablespoon sev on both sides of patty and slide into bun. Press the bun tight to seal the patty. Repeat same process for remaining buns.
  4. Heat non-stick pan or a griddle on a medium heat and add butter. Once the butter is melted, toast the buns with patty on both sides by gently pressing, about 2 minutes per side.
Notes
The Dabeli masala, nylon sev, tamarind and date chutney, and garlic chutney are easily available in Indian grocery stores.

 

Continue Reading

Recipes, Street Food

Samosa

No Comments

Print
Samosa

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 6

Samosas have become quite popular in many countries with Indian population. This delicious snack is sold on streets all over India. In US it's available freshly made and frozen in most Indian grocery stores. My cousin, Vibha, runs a catering business in India and this is her recipe. While making samosa at home, you do not need to finely mash potatoes for filling and the filling can be made in advance.
Ingredients
For dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds
  • Water as needed
For filling:
  • 2 russet potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for frying
  • ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ajwain seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, finely minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon sanchar (black salt)
  • ½ teaspoon chaat masala or juice of ½ a lemon
  • ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
  • ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • Salt
Directions
  1. Make the dough: Combine flour, salt, ajwain seeds, oil and shortening in a medium mixing bowl and mix it with hands. Gradually add water while mixing and kneading until it makes soft and smooth dough. Cover the dough with a plate or a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to one hour.
  2. Make the filling: In a wok or a frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high heat until simmering. Add all the seeds and let them sizzle. Add green chili, ginger and sauté them for 30 seconds. Add mashed potatoes, garam masala, chaat masala or lemon juice and black salt. Stir everything to combine spices with mashed potatoes. Let the mixture cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
  3. Add peas and cilantro. Stir to combine and let the filling cook for 1 more minute. Taste the filling for salt as black salt and chaat masala are quite salty. Add salt if needed. Let the filling cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. Make samosas: Divide the dough into 20 or so equal parts. Roll into balls and cover with a plate or a towel. Take one ball of dough and roll out into about 6 inch circle. Cut the circle in half. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of half circle, leaving about ¼ inch space on the round side. Pick corner of flat side and cover the filling. Pick another corner of flat side and cover the dough with filling. Press gently to seal dough over the filling. It should make a triangle. Pinch together round side of dough and the corner. Cover the prepared samosa with a towel. Repeat the process with remaining dough balls and filling.
  5. Heat oil in frying pan until ready for frying. Drop 4 to 5 samosa in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oil and drain excess oil on a paper towel lined plate.
  6. Fry remaining samosa same way. Serve warm with cilantro chutney and tamarind and date chutney.

 

Continue Reading