"Dabeli Wrap"

"Dabeli" is one of my favorites 'Anytime' food. I can have it anytime and every time all day long:)
You can read more about "Dabeli" and how to make it/ recipe here-
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/chatpata-chaat-kutchi-dabeli.html

Now, we had made Dabeli just a couple days ago....and had left over of all the fixings. To make one more meal....I turned to the "Babus Wrap" idea. Don't know Babu's wrap??? You can find them in the Indian grocery stores frozen section.They come in many varieties- Aloo Chat, Pav Bhaji, Dabeli etc. Not that we buy that often....but I like the idea of eating a 'handy' wrap with your favorite stuffing!

 So..I put together my own "Dabeli Wrap" for dinner and it was delicious...and yet so handy to eat! It will be a nice variation on the regular Dabeli!
1) Spread the Tamarind-date chutney on the tortilla.
2) Add the all the dabeli fixings- potato stuffing, onion, cilantro, peanuts, sev, pomegranate etc.
3) Roll it up and toast it on few drops of oil till 'toasty'
Done!!

"Chatpata Chaat'- Bhel

What foods do you miss most...living away from your home country???
For me...its mostly the street foods....Bhel, Pani poori, Dabeli, Chana Choor,SPDP(Sev Potato Dahi Poori) etc etc.Not that we cannot make them here in USA....but the ease of stopping at one of the stalls, telling the vendor -how 'spicy' or 'sweet' you want your dish, the dish being made in front of you, chaating- gossiping with your buddies, savoring the tangy-spicy-sweet mouthwatering chaat.....ufff even the 'thought' makes me nostalgic and my mouth water!!!
Once,I was telling my colleague at Cornell  'How I miss Indian food'.He was surprised, he said.....but there are so many Indian restaurants here..why don't you eat there! I told him....they do not have 'all' the foods we get in India....and ofcourse the 'taste' is not as authentic. He asked me to describe some dish which I miss the most.I tried describing to him..'Bhel'...Puffed rice mixed with savory snack mixture, raw onions, tomatoes, Tamarind chutney.. etc etc He seemed confused....couldn't really 'get' what I  really miss????
I can totally understand....he hadn't tasted the addictive tangy-sweet-spicy taste of Bhel ...how would he know..what I really miss???
When I was reading 'Namesake' by Jhumpa Lahiri....a book about an 'immigrant' family......there, the couple migrates to US (may be in 1970's..don't exactly remember when) The lady is 'Bengali'. After coming to USA, she misses ofcourse her homeland, her friends and family....but also the 'food'. She becomes really homesick and tries making 'Bhel' with Rice Krispie cereal !!!!! How cool was that! Because those days finding 'puffed rice and indian grocery' wasn't as easy as it is now! So....we are amongst the lucky ones!!! We atleast can find what we need to make our favorite dish here in US of A!

Here is the recipe for 'Bhel':

Ingredients:
2 cups Puffed rice ( I haven't tried using Rice krispie cereal yet!!) Make sure its crispy.
1Cup Savory 'Hot Punjabi Mix' Farsan
1/2 cup thin Sev
1 onion  finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tbsp raw mango chopped (if you like the tang)
Flat pooris if you want to make 'Bhel Poori'. I sometimes use 'Pringles' !!!

For Chutney:
1 tbsp Tamarind extract
1/4 cup grated jaggery
1/2tsp cumin-corainder powder
1/2tsp chili powder
1/4tsp chaat masala
salt
1/2cup water
Mix everything in the water and make Tangy-sweet- spicy chutney.This chutney is pretty watery.

For extra spice:
Crush green chilies and garlic together into fine paste. Add to bhel as needed.

Mixing bhel:
1) Mix together the puffed rice, farsan, half of the sev, onion, tomatoes, peanuts, mango etc.
2) Add the tamarind chutney to make the bhel 'wet' but not soggy.
3) Garnish with remaining sev, cilantro, pooris/ pringles etc
4) Serve immediately!

Enjoy the blissfull combination of various textures and tastes all packed in one mouthwatering dish!

"Chatpata Chaat"- Kutchi Dabeli

Out of the many street foods famous in Pune,India....this Gujrati (from Kutch) tangy-spicy snack is becoming popular over time. The 'Kutchi Dabeli' stall near my house in Pune is especially dear to me,because it was 'M's and my favorite spot to hang out in the evening during our college days.There was this whole road with various stalls of - Dabeli,Pani Poori, Bhel poori,Ragada Pattice,Dosas, Chinese food etc etc( I know your mouth is already watering hearing all those names!!)...many youngsters would be hanging out there during evening time.I think my friend 'A' is nostalgic about this too and hence was asking me for the recipe.This one is for you 'A'.....hope you enjoy it!
Kutchi Dabeli is almost like a burger but without a 'formed' patty. The filling is made up of  mashed potato spiced with 'Dabeli masala', and nuts and dried fruits are added to give a sweet-sour taste which makes your mouth water. The filling is usually topped with onions, Pomogranate seeds,roasted peanuts, cilantro, thin sev etc.But let me tell you..the 'Dabeli walas' are pretty smart...they have modified their recipe as per 'todays' taste.They have started making 'Cheese Dabelis' as well!!!! They put a ton of cheese over the potato filling ....no wonder it tastes good!
The Dabeli bread/bun is little different than the usual 'Hamburger' bun which we get here.The Dabeli bun is 'crustier' and when warmed on the 'Tava'...you can almost get a crunchy top. The 'Kaiser' Rolls that we get here in USA come very close to the 'Dabeli bun'. The bun is smeared with a Tangy and sweet 'Tamarind-Jaggery chutney' before the filling is added to the bread.
This spicy-tangy creation just tastes D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S and out of this world!

Ingredients:
4 Kaiser Rolls
1 onion chopped
1tbsp chopped cilantro
1tbsp Pomogranate seeds
1tbsp roasted peanuts
1tbsp Thin sev
1tbsp Tuti Frooti/ Chopped marciano cherries
Oil/butter

For the filling:
2 Potatoes boiled and mashed well
2tsp 'Siddhi' Dabeli masala or else make your own (http://www.tarladalal.com/recipe.asp?id=2812).The 'Bombay Magic Dabeli' masala is pretty good too.
The 'Siddhi Dabeli masala' is my favorite.It makes authentic Dabelis.It has fennel, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, dried mango and whole bunch of other stuff. It is De......licious!
1tbsp Raisins
1tbsp Cashews
chili powder(only if masala doesn't have it)
salt
oil
Heat 1tbsp oil,add the Dabeli masala,mashed potatoes, nuts,rainins.Fry for 3-4 mins untill well mixed. Keep aside.

For the Tamarind-Jaggery Chutney:
1 tbsp Tamarind extract
1/4 cup grated jaggery (more if needed)
1/2tsp Chat masala
1/2tsp Cumin-corainder powder
1/4tsp chili powder
1/4tsp garlic paste
salt
Mix everything together and add enough water to make thin chutney(almost watery).The Chutney is tangy-sweet and spicy..all at the same time. Your mouth will immediately water at the smell of this chutney!

Assembly of the Dabeli:
1) Cut the Kaiser roll into half horizontally.
2) Apply the tamarind chutney on both the inner sides.
3) Add 2 spoonfull of potato filling,top it with peanuts, onions, pomogranate, Tooti-Frooti, Thin sev,Cilantro etc.Press the Dabeli shut
4) On a medium -low flame heat a flat pan/tava. Add a small amount of butter and place the Dabeli on the tava. Roast the bun till golden brown and crunchy on both sides.Press the bun a little while roasting to help get a crunchy texture.
5) Serve warm.
Bite into the crunchy bread with spicy-tangy-sweet filling.....and experience jumping of your taste buds with joy!!!

Note:

 I am sending this recipe as entry for the Regional Cuisine of India (RCI-Mumbai) event by 'Kitchenchronicles' and Lakshmi Krishnans blog-Veggie Cuisine

"Chatpata Chaat"- Basket Chaat

Who doesn't like chaat?? It's mouthwatering tasty, sweet-sour,spicy,crunchy ....with so many textures and tastes going in one dish it's hard to resist.....and too tempting!

'Basket chaat' is especially dear to me.It takes me back to days..when 'M' and I were dating (the Indian way! )There was this place on FC road..'Maan meet'....(has anyone else been there?) which served all kinds of Lucknowi chaats.'M' and I went there ..well to 'hide' from everyone else and also for the 'Basket chaat'.They used to make their baskets with sev molded into baskets.

I am sure all the Puneites are nostalgic about this chaat.I know my friend 'A' is.....just last week she was asking me about the recipe.....

My mom read the recipe somewhere and tried it.She made the baskets differently though..with rava and maida.I like to make the way she makes it....and here is her recipe.

For the Crispy Baskets-

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup rava

1/4th tsp salt

1tbsp hot oil

Oil for frying

Method:

1) Mix Rava,all purpose flour,salt, hot oil and knead well.The dough should be 'hard' and not soft.

2) Roll out into thin circle.Place the circle on a steel bowl/mold/vaati.Make the dough fit snugly on the molds outer side.

3) Fry the dough along with the mold in hot oil. Remove the mold gently after the dough is set in oil.

4) Fry both sides of the basket on low flame till golden brown.Drain on paper towel.

5) Store in airtight container after cooling.

For Filling

Filling in Basket chaat is pretty versatile.You can add whatever you like..like boiled potato/corn/ chick peas/soya chunks etc etc.

Season the above with salt,chili powder,cumin coriander powder,chaat masala.

For Tamarind-Jaggery-Mint Chutney

1)Dissolve 1/4 cup jaggery in 1/2 cup water.Add 1/2-1 tsp tamarind paste.Mix

2) Add 1tsp mint paste,salt,chili powder,chaat masala.Stir.

Assembly of the Basket Chaat:

1) Place the basket in serving plate.Fill with boiled mashes potato/corn/chick peas filling.

2) Top with finely chopped onions,tomatoes,sev/farsan, tamarind chutney,cilantro.

3) Dig in!