Aloo Kabli evokes pure nostalgia for me. It’s challenging to find an Aloo Kabli vendor here in North India who can replicate the authentic taste of this once-popular street food from Bengal. If you go to C.R. Park, you might find a few stalls in different markets that offer it. However, over the past few years, I’ve noticed that Aloo Kabli has lost its popularity; it’s no longer the must-have snack for school-goers. Back in our school days, it was one of the top-selling foods. I used to enjoy Aloo Kabli daily from a Bihari vendor when school let out. I would often tell him, “Please, Kaku (Uncle), don’t add green chilies to my Aloo Kabli,” and he would nod in agreement. 😀

Coming from a foodie family, we make various Kolkata dishes at home, so preparing Aloo Kabli isn’t exceptional for us. This street food is incredibly easy to make, and we’ve been following this recipe for many years. The Aloo Kabli masala mix is the key ingredient, and we actually got this recipe from an Aloo Kabli seller. I can’t guarantee that it’s the authentic masala recipe, but it certainly adds the ideal kick to the humble Aloo Kabli. I’m grateful to him for sharing his secret spice blend with us.

Aloo Kabli is a delightful medley of hot, spicy, and sour flavours. Each time I prepare it at home, I’m transported back to my childhood—those boiled potatoes, chickpeas, and yellow peas moistened with tamarind water, tossed with masala, onions, and green chilies bring back fond memories. If you know what Aloo Kabli is and miss it like I do, you should make it. And if you’ve never had Aloo Kabli before, I encourage you to try it! 🙂

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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 People

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.