Story:
Chaap Chole Dabbal is a combo meal or breakfast that is also a popular street food in Sindhi populated areas. Chaap is a tikki or patties, chole is chickpea and dabbal or double is bread.. Another version of this dish is Dal Chole Dabbal This dish is so popular as a street food that there is even a song, ‘Dal Chole Dabbal… tu khayi vhat gul… o kaka, o chacha, tu aedhe aa… tu dal vathi kha (Dal Chole Dabbal… o sweet person, you come and eat. Listen uncle, you come here and eat the Daal.).
This dish evokes nostalgic memories of my parents telling me how they used to get a plate of Chaap Chole Dabbal or Dal Chole Dabbal for 50 paise. These dishes are no longer commonly available in Ahmedabad, as street food vendors have shifted to more modern or cosmopolitan dishes.
This dish has 6 components or elements. The first element is Dabbal, which is bread. Second and third is Chaap, which is stuffed aloo ki tikki (Stuffed potatoes cutlets). The aloo ka masala (mashed potatoes) and chana dal (split chickpeas lentil) combined makes a single element. Fourth is Chole (chickpeas). Fifth is Imli ki Chutney (Tamarind paste) and the sixth is diced & raw onion.
For Chaap
⦁ Boiled and Mashed potatoes – 5-6 medium sized
⦁ Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
⦁ Salt – as per taste
⦁ Turmeric Powder – 1 tbsp
⦁ Coriander Powder – 1.2 tbsp
⦁ Oil – for frying
Chaap’s stuffing
⦁ Soaked Chana Daal/Split chickpea – ½ cup
⦁ Red Chili powder – 1 tsp
⦁ Salt – as per taste
⦁ Turmeric Powder – 1tsp
⦁ Garam Masala – 1 tsp
⦁ Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Method:
⦁ Sift chana dal (split chickpeas lentil) seasoned with turmeric powder and salt to a pressure cooker.
⦁ Cook it till done, be careful it does not become too mushy, each lentil seed should standout. Some people prefer to cook it in a saucepan to give the lentil a crunchy texture.
⦁ Mix other spices into the channa dal, and keep aside.
⦁ Mix together the mashed potatoes with spices, shape the mashed potatoes into balls.
⦁ Make a depression in each ball and fill the hole with channa dal.
⦁ Pat the potato balls mixture to make patties or tikkis.
⦁ Shallow fry or cook the patties (called chaap in Sindhi).
For Chole:
⦁ Boiled Chole/Chickpea – 1 ½ cup
⦁ Diced Onion – 2 medium
⦁ Tomato puree – 5-6 tomatoes
⦁ Ginger & Garlic paste – 1 tsbp
⦁ Salt – as per taste
⦁ Water – as required
⦁ Red Chili powder – 1 – 1.2 tbsp
⦁ Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
⦁ Oil – 3-4 tbsp
Method:
⦁ In a pressure cooker, heat oil and then add onions.
⦁ Cook the onions until translucent.
⦁ Mix ginger and garlic paste into the onions, and cook for 1-2 minute.
⦁ Add in chole, salt, tomato puree and water.
⦁ Let it cook till the pressure cooker whistles a couple of times or until done to your desired consistency.
Aamri ki Chutney
⦁ Soak tamarind (aamri or imli) for 4-5 hours
⦁ Make a thick tamarind pulp and keep aside.
Serving Chaap Chole Dabbal
⦁ In a plate, break the bread into pieces.
⦁ Top the bread pieces with chaap and chole.
⦁ Garnish with chutney and onions.
⦁ Serve on a plate.
Recipe & Pictures by: Nikita Dudani
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