Dabeli: The World Famous Burger of Kutch
Street food of India never stops to amaze me. Wherever you are visiting in this country, you are never too far away from lip smacking street food. The hygiene might be a bit treacherous at times, but if you have a strong stomach, there is no richer gastronomic experience to be had in Incredible India. Take the rich district of Kutch that lies in India’s far north west. Most of us know of the dishes of this state that sound like war cries – Dhokla, Fafda and that iconic travel companion of Khakhara and Thepla. But, did you know that the state of Gujarat has its own burger and that this burger was invented in Bhuj, the largest city in the district of Kutch.
Referred to locally as Dabeli, this famous street food of Bhuj now goes by the trendy nickname ‘Kutchi Burger’, a term coined for the foreign travelers who visit this region. It is your simple bread or pao that is toasted on butter and stuffed with a secret tomato vegetable gravy, sweet sauce, tangy sauce, nuts, pomegranate fruit and spicy peanuts. One or two of this Dabeli and you can happily skip your meal. It is somewhere in between a Vada Pao and Pao Bhaji, but has its unique taste. And it goes fantastically well with a strong cup of Elaichi (Cardamom) chai/tea.
Another street food that is very popular in Kutch is Kadak. Made from salty wheat biscuits, it doesn’t have the pao, but it has a similar vegetable based gravy, nuts, fruits and an assortment of sauces to give that crunchy lip smacking bonanza. This street food is a bit spicy and hence goes extremely well with a glass of Chach or butter milk. Both Dabeli and Kadak can be tasted at Kishan Dabeli and Bhel on Bhuj’s main bazaar. It is one of those must have experiences of Kutch.
