Dabeli: Spiced Potato Bread Pockets
A Gujarati street snack of soft, spiced potato filling tucked into buttered bread with sweet and spicy chutneys. Crispy outside, creamy inside—ready in 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 2 whole medium boiling potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 pieces bread (pav, dinner rolls, or sliced white bread)
- 3 tablespoons tamarind chutney (or date-tamarind paste)
- 2 tablespoons green chutney (cilantro-mint paste) or hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- 1
Place the 2 potatoes in a pot, cover completely with cold water, and set the pot on high heat until large bubbles rapidly break the surface, about 12 minutes. Pierce the largest potato with a fork—if it slides off easily, they are done.
- 2
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool for 2 minutes until you can hold them without discomfort. Peel away the skin with your fingers or a knife, then transfer to a small bowl.
- 3
Mash the potatoes with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining—do not overmix. Add 0.5 teaspoon garam masala, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper, then stir until evenly colored.
- 4
Cut each bread piece lengthwise down the middle, stopping 0.5 inches from the bottom so it opens like a hinge but stays attached—this creates a pocket without fully splitting it in two.
- 5
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. Once the butter melts and smells nutty, lay 2 bread pieces open-side up in the pan and toast them until light golden, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Remove the toasted breads to a plate, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and repeat with the other 2 bread pieces.
- 7
Spoon 1.5 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture into the pocket of each bread piece, dividing equally—the filling should bulge slightly at the top.
- 8
Drizzle 0.75 tablespoons of tamarind chutney on top of each potato filling, spreading it lightly with the back of a spoon.
- 9
Drizzle 0.5 tablespoons of green chutney or hot sauce on top of each dabeli, then serve immediately while the bread is still warm and the flavors are bright.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot with lid
- colander
- small mixing bowl
- fork
- knife
- large skillet (10 to 12 inches)
- spoon
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