Aloo Kabli- Kolkata street style

Nowadays Aloo Kabli is pure nostalgia to me. Hard to find out one Aloo Kabli wala with the authentic taste of this once popular street food of Bengal here in North India, if you go to C.R.Park you may find a few though in different markets over there. As I told you once popular, what I’ve observed over the last few years that somehow Aloo Kabli lost its popularity, it’s not that crazy stuff between the school-goers anymore. It was one of the top selling foods in our school days; I used to eat Aloo Kabli every day from one Bihari Aloo kabli wala when the school got over. I’d tell him “Please Kaku (Uncle) don’t add green chilli into my Aloo Kabli”, and he used to nod his head. Ours is a foodie family and we almost make every Kolkata stuff at home, so making aloo kabli is nothing exceptional for us. This is the easiest street food to make; we’re following this recipe from many years now. The Aloo Kabli masala mix is the key ingredient here, and we got this masala recipe from an Aloo Kabli seller. I’m not stating that it is the authentic masala recipe but it’s good enough to add the most desired kick to the humble Aloo Kabli. I’m thankful to him for sharing his secret masala recipe with us.

This street food is a medley of hot, spicy, and sour taste. A childhood saga of mine, travelling deep down into the memory lane, when I prepare this at home those boiled potatoes, chickpeas, yellow peas moistened with tamarind water, tossed with masala, onion, and green chillies made me remember how I miss my good old days. Make it if you know what Aloo Kabli is and you miss it like me, or else make it if you never had Aloo Kabli before. 🙂

Aloo Kabli
Aloo Kabli

Aloo Kabli

Aloo Kabli is a popular street food of Bengal. Try this easy recipe to make it at home with a special aloo kabli masala mix.

Course Starters
Cuisine Indian
Keyword gluten-free
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 5
Author Chandrima

Ingredients

  • 5 medium-sized- Bolied Potatoes
  • 50g- Black chickpeas/chola/ kali chana
  • 50g- Dried yellow peas/motor
  • 1- Onion medium-sized (finely chopped)
  • 2- Green chilli (finely chopped)
  • Black salt/Kala namak/Bit lobon to taste
  • 1½ tbsp- Tamarind

Aloo Kabli Masala mix

  • 1 tsp- Cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp- Coriander seeds
  • a pinch- Ajwain/Carom seeds
  • 1-2- Whole dry red chilli

Instructions

  1. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under Aloo Kabli Masala mix over medium heat until fragrant (for 2-3 minutes approximately). Care should be taken not to burn them. Let the spices cool completely. Grind them using a food processor, keep aside.

  2. Soak tamarind into ½ cup of water for 20 minutes. Mix well. Strain the tamarind water in a separate bowl, keep aside.

  3. Peel and cut the boiled potatoes into cubes. Keep aside.

  4. Soak black chickpeas overnight with 2 cups of water. Next day discard the water, wash the chickpeas 2-3 times and pressure cook with enough water, and ½ tsp of salt. Take off the flame after 6-8 whistles. Open the lid after pressure has reduced. Take out the boiled chickpeas in a bowl, keep aside.

  5. Soak yellow dried peas/motor in a generous amount of water for 5-6 hours. Wash well 2-3 times under running water. Now add soaked yellow peas in the cooker. Pressure cook with enough water (water level should be 2″ up from the yellow peas). Take off the flame after 3-4 whistles. Open the lid after pressure has reduced. Take out the boiled yellow peas in a bowl, keep aside.

  6. In a bowl add boiled potatoes, black chickpeas, aloo kabli masala, 5-6 tsp of tamarind water, black salt, boiled yellow peas, green chillies, and chopped onion. Mix well. Adjust salt. Serve this immediately into small bowls.

Recipe Notes

Adjust Green chillies according to your taste.

Aloo Kabli
Aloo Kabli
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6 Comments

  1. As you said “once popular”. And its a nostalgia to me too. I missed it so much nowadays. Thanks a lot for your recipe!

     
  2. Can you tell me what was your school name.
    Bcs in childhood i was also in same situation.
    Mein bhi yehi bolta tha “kaku jhaal debena bessi”.
    I am also missing a lot same dish. Aloo kabli

     

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