Instant/Traditional Kutchi Dabeli Masala

Extending the chaat theme of this month, in line with Pav bhaji, Ragda patties and their fusions, now comes the Dabeli.

As I stated in my previous posts, Chaat has become an integral and inevitable part of every household in India and to Indians living abroad.

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As you all are aware that chaat is a street style fast food and can be a bite or a whole meal in itself. Originally it was a layman’s meal, a quick and handy grab before they kick start the day or end it.

This week’s recipe is Dabeli that originated from Kutch or Katchchh region of Gujarat. A family from Mandvi town of Kutch, Gujarat invented this dish, which later passed on to different places across India especially Mumbai and Maharashtra.

To describe it in short, it’s Maharashtrian Vada pav version of Gujarat. Ladi pav/small buns filled with a special potato mixture (prepared with spices, Sweet Dates Tamarind chutney and specially prepared Dabeli masala), then topped with grated coconut, masala peanuts, pomegranate seeds, onion and finally coated with sev on all sides of the bun, then toasted and served.  Spicy, tangy, sweet flavours compete with one another while you take a bite of it. Undoubtedly, it’s a scrumptious treat.

Dabeli recipe is waiting for next week’s post, it’ll provide you with 2 variations and as usual with my Fusion land recipes. It just needs a little wait as I need to introduce you to Dabeli masala this week. Before getting into this Dabeli recipe, I wish my viewers be aware of this special aromatic spice mix powder, with exploding flavours like sweet, spicy and tangy in every pinch of it. It was initially sold in Mandvi and Bhuj towns of Kutch region of Gujarat. Claims to be more authentic, still, Dabeli masala is now available everywhere under different brand names. Generally, people go with the store-bought version, just like pav bhaji masala. Like anyone else, rather than taking the toil and exerting myself, I also go for the store-bought version. Later, I realized what’s going inside the store-bought version, so many preservatives, stabilizers, flavoring and coloring agents. I pondered a lot and finally made up my mind to make a homemade version which saves your pocket and is absolutely healthy and hygienic as you are completely involved in the process of preparing and storing it. No unnecessary preservatives, colours and stabilizers. Each and every ingredient is controlled and monitored by you.

Now you must be convinced by the perks of making homemade masala. I’ll add another perk, this masala is versatile, it’s not confined only to Dabeli. You can unfurl your creativity by using it in your other dishes like I did. To read more, scroll to the notes where you’ll find few exciting utilities with this homemade masala…😍🥰. I recreated new recipes such as Dabeli Batata vada/Aloo Bonda, Dabeli Uthappam, Dabeli Pulao. Sounds fascinating, don’t forget to scroll down…😋😋.

Here, I made Dabeli masala in two methods,

1. Traditional and Authentic recipe-this involves roasting all the whole garam masalas, dry coconut, Whole Red chillies, sesame seeds and then grinding it with spice powders, sugar, salt and lemon salt/citric acid. It’s lengthy in its ingredients but worth a try.
2. No cooking and Shortcut recipe-this involves grinding of dry coconut and sesame seeds with garam masala powder, kashmiri chilli powder, spice powders, sugar, salt and lemon salt/citric acid. This is absolutely instant, no-cook, quick and easy recipe.

Both the recipes were equally good and tasted the same, if your garam masala powder has the same ingredients as I referred in the 1st method. Alternatively, you can prepare that garam masala powder days ahead and simply follow the second method and prepare the homemade Dabeli masala according to your convenience with no hassle. Once you start preparing this at home, you’ll never go for the store-bought version. I assure homemade masala is significantly better than the store-bought and surpasses its taste, aroma, and flavor. Also, you can explore a lot with this masala by infusing it into your regular recipes which completely turns the recipe to a new dimension in terms of flavor. You can taste it when you try my Dabeli versions Iike Dabeli Batata vada/Aloo Bonda, Dabeli Uthappam, Dabeli Pulao.

Let’s get into the recipe…👇.

For the Authentic method:

Heat a non-stick pan or a thick kadai, add Kashmiri red chilli and sauté for a minute. Then add coriander seeds and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add Bay leaf and sauté it, followed by cumin seeds.

After sautéing for a minute add fennel seeds, pepper.

Cloves and mace threads.

Black cardamom and star anise

Cinnamon and green cardamom.

Sauté well. Transfer this mixture to a mixer jar.

In the same pan, dry roast desiccated coconut for 2-3 minutes. Then add sesame seeds, sauté till it pops.

Transfer it to the same mixer jar and grind it into a fine powder.

Now add Kashmiri chilli powder.

Then add dry ginger powder, dry mango/amchur powder, black salt, lemon salt/Citric acid, sugar. Grind it again.

Finally add any neutrally flavoured oil and grind it till it incorporates well into the mixture.

Store it in airtight container and refrigerate it for longer shelf life. It’ll stay fresh for minimum 6 months in the refrigerator.

Authentic, multi-ingredient homemade Dabeli masala is ready.

For an Instant, No-cook method:

Add garam masala in a mixer jar.

In the same jar add Kashmiri chilli powder, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds.

Then add sugar, dry ginger powder, dry mango/amchur powder, black salt, lemon salt/Citric acid, . Grind it well.

Finally add any neutrally flavoured oil and grind it till it incorporates well into the mixture.

Store it in airtight container and refrigerate it for longer shelf life, say it’ll stay fresh for minimum 6 months in the refrigerator.

Instant, no-cook, quick and easy, shortcut homemade Dabeli masala is ready.

Recipe card

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Cooking time: 0-10 minutes

Cuisine: Indian, Gujarat

Category: Powder, Chaat

Yields: roughly 1 1/2 cup

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

For Authentic method:

Coriander seeds – ¼ cup

Kashmiri red chilli – 5

Peppercorns – 10

Cumin seeds – 3 tsp

Bay leaf – 2

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Cinnamon 1 inch – 2-3 pieces

Cloves – 4

Green Cardamom – 4

Black Cardamom – 2

Star anise – 1

Mace – 2 threads

Dry/Desiccated coconut – ¼ cup

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp (White or Black)

Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tbsp

Dry ginger powder – ¼ tsp

Dry mango/Amchur powder – 2 tsp

Black salt – 2 tsp

Lemon salt/Citric acid – 1 tsp

Sugar – 3 tbsp

Oil (neutral flavour) – 1 tbsp

For Instant/ No cooking method:

Garam masala – 6 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder – 3 tbsp

Dry/Desiccated coconut – ¼ cup

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp (White or Black)

Dry ginger powder – ¼ tsp

Dry mango/Amchur powder – 2 tsp

Black salt – 2 tsp

Lemon salt/Citric acid – 1 tsp

Sugar – 3 tbsp

Oil (neutral flavour) – 1 tbsp

Instructions:

For the Authentic method:

1. Heat a non-stick pan or a thick kadai, add Kashmiri red chilli and sauté for a minute.
2. Then add coriander seeds and sauté for a couple of minutes.
3. Add Bay leaf and sauté it, followed by cumin seeds.
4. After sautéing for a minute add fennel seeds, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, black and green cardamom, star anise, mace threads. Sauté well.
5. Transfer this mixture to a mixer jar.
6. In the same pan, dry roast desiccated coconut for 2-3 minutes. Then add sesame seeds, sauté till it pops.
7. Transfer it to the same mixer jar and grind it into a fine powder.
8. Now add Kashmiri chilli powder, dry ginger powder, dry mango/amchur powder, black salt, lemon salt/Citric acid, sugar. Grind it again.
9. Finally add any neutrally flavoured oil and grind it till it incorporates well into the mixture.
10. Store it in airtight container and refrigerate it for longer shelf life. It’ll stay fresh for minimum 6 months in the refrigerator.
11. Authentic, multi-ingredient homemade Dabeli masala is ready.

For an Instant, No-cook method:

1. Add garam masala in a mixer jar, in the same jar add Kashmiri chilli powder,  dry ginger powder, dry mango/amchur powder, black salt, lemon salt/Citric acid, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds, sugar. Grind it well.
2. Finally add any neutrally flavoured oil and grind it till it incorporates well into the mixture.
3. Store it in airtight container and refrigerate it for longer shelf life, say it’ll stay fresh for minimum 6 months in the refrigerator.
4. Instant, no-cook, quick and easy, shortcut homemade Dabeli masala is ready.

Notes:

• Dry coconut powder or desiccated coconut powder is a must for this Dabeli powder to give it a coarse texture and oily finish to it. You can use grated copra(grated dry coconut) as well.
• Kashmiri red chili gives an intense colour with moderate spice to the powder. If you are replacing with normal chilies, be mindful of the spice and manipulate the numbers accordingly. Also, keep in mind that normal chillies may not impart the intense color of the Kashmiri.
• Here, I used Black sesame seeds as I ran out of white. Both seeds can be used interchangeably. Both have its own nutty flavour and only differ in the color it imbues to the powder.
• Three major flavours of this masala are sweetness, spiciness and tanginess. Sweetness comes from the sugar, spiciness from the Kashmiri chilli and other spices added, tanginess from the citric acid/lemon salt.
• Lemon salt, sour salt or citric acid is mandatory to impart that tangy, tartish flavour to the powder. This is the key and only ingredient which adds the sharp acidic flavour to the powder. It’s easily available in the market. Citric acid is equivalently found in citrus fruits like lemon. But you cannot substitute it, as you need dry powder form for the masala, lemon juice will not solve the purpose.
• Neutrally flavored oil is essential as it shouldn’t impart any residual flavour to the masala. Oils like corn oil, refined sunflower oil, other vegetable oils, canola oil and grapeseed oil are best.

Now it’s time for my Kitchen Secrets …😍😋.

I wanted to convince my viewers and followers to make this recipe at home. Many would be sceptical to take efforts in making this masala at home. In order to encourage you to go for this homemade masala, I thought of adding few perks to it. Preparing such a laborious masala and confining it to a single dish doesn’t sounds good. Always Sinfully Desilicious never disappoints its followers, here I come up with my 3 creative dishes using this Dabeli masala thus transforming it into a versatile masala. I recreated new recipes such as Dabeli Batata vada/Aloo Bonda, Dabeli Uthappam, Dabeli Pulao. Sounds fascinating, check it out in my Kitchen Secrets page and let me know how it turned out for you.