These dabeli/samosa pinwheels are the perfect bite sized appetizer. They are baked/air fried and turn out super flaky and crispy with an amazing melt in the mouth filling. The dabeli filling is tangy, sweet, spicy, crunchy and a total treat for your taste buds! What a perfect appetizer/party snack! You have to give this recipe a go!
Dabeli pinwheels!
Dabeli is a popular snack food of India, originating in the Kutch region of Gujarat. It is made by mixing boiled potatoes with a special dabeli masala and then stuffing the mixture in pavs (soft dinner rolls). It is usually served with a tamarind date chutney and chili garlic chutney and is garnished with pomegranate seeds and roasted peanuts.
Growing up in Bombay, dabeli used to be one of my most favorite street snacks. It is usually sold by street vendors in bustling corners of the city. The combination of the sweet tamarind date chutney with the fiery chili garlic chutney and the juicy bursts of pomegranate seeds, is what gives this dish its iconic taste. It truly is a treat for all your senses.
I've recreated those classic dabeli flavors in this recipe, albeit in a different form. Instead of stuffing the filling in soft pavs, I decided to stuff it into readily available puff pastry and make cute bite sized pinwheels, thus creating the perfect appetizer/party food! These pinwheels are the perfect amalgamation of all the different flavors and textures we love in a dabeli, but in a little bite sized portion. You will love this recipe!
Samosa pinwheels
I also love making these pinwheels with my homemade samosa filling to make samosa pinwheels instead of dabeli pinwheels.
Here's how you make samosa pinwheels:
- Only make the date and tamarind chutney from the recipe card below.
- Make samosa filling and green chutney from this recipe.
- Spread the tamarind chutney on the puff pastry and then spread the samosa filling all over it.
- Roll, cut and bake the pinwheels using the instructions in the recipe card.
- Serve the green chutney and remaining tamarind chutney on the side to dip the pinwheels into.
Air frying v/s baking
Both air frying and baking produce amazingly crispy and flaky pinwheels. Which option you use to make these amazing dabeli/samosa pinwheels will depend on a couple of criteria:
- Air fryer: Air fried pinwheels turn out super crispy and the biggest advantage of this method is that it takes about half the time to cook compared to the oven method. However, most air fryers are small and this method will work well only if you are making a small batch of these pinwheels. This option is perfect when you are making a small batch for 1-2 people.
- Oven: oven baked pinwheels also turn out amazing but take twice the amount of time compared to an air fryer. However, if you are making a large batch, then this is the way to go. You can make a very large batch at once using multiple baking trays (and doubling this recipe) and they will all be perfectly crispy and ready at the same time! This option is perfect when you have company over or are serving a crowd.
Storage instructions
The best part about these pinwheels is that you can make it ahead of time. This works out perfectly if you're having guests over. After filling and rolling the pastry, wrap it tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate the log for up to 5 days. Slice and bake/air fry when ready to serve.
You can also freeze these pinwheels for later. To do that, slice and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until partially frozen and then transfer into a freezer safe container or bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cook them directly from frozen using the same instructions above, but add about 5-6 minutes to the baking/air frying time.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of puff pastry should I use in this recipe?
I really like using an all butter puff-pastry in this recipe. Butter is used to toast the pav bread in traditional dabeli and the flavor of butter compliments the dabeli filling really well. This brand makes a lovely all butter puff pastry.
What can I use instead of puff pastry in this recipe?
I like the airy and light texture of puff pastry in this recipe but you can also use pre-made pie crust (make sure it doesn't have a lot of sugar as in ingredient) or even home made flaky pastry.
Here's a recipe for easy flaky pastry if you want to make it yourself. Omit the sugar in the recipe.
Can I use store bought chutneys in this recipe?
Of course! I've included the recipes for 2 homemade chutneys below, but you could also use your favorite brand of store bought chutneys in this recipe!
What other fillings can I use in this recipe?
Apart from dabeli/samosa filling, you can also stuff puff pastry with any of your favorite fillings. Some lovely options would be cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes and pesto. Just keep in mind to not choose a filling that is too wet (like tomatoes), otherwise your pastry will get soggy and not crispy.
Can I make these pinwheels ahead of time?
You can refrigerate the puff pastry log after wrapping tightly in cling wrap, for up to 5 days. Slice and bake when ready to serve.
You can also freeze these pinwheels for later. To do that, slice and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until partially frozen and then transfer into a freezer safe container or bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cook them directly from frozen using the same instructions above, but add about 5-6 minutes to the baking/air frying time.
I am allergic to nuts, can I leave out the peanuts?
You can absolutely leave out the peanuts or replace them with seeds (like pumpkin/sunflower) for added texture and crunch in this recipe.
More appetizers to try
Easy dabeli/samosa pinwheels (baked/air fried)
Ingredients
Date & Tamarind Chutney
- ½ cup pitted dates
- 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seed powder
- ½ teaspoon kala namak/Indian black salt
- kosher salt to taste
- 6 tablespoons water
Chili garlic chutney
- ¼ cup garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Masala Peanuts
- 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts
- ¼ teaspoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- kosher salt (only if your peanuts were unsalted)
Dabeli filling
- 0.7 pounds potatoes (about 2 large or 3 medium). See notes below to make samosa filling instead.
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin seed powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoons melted butter
For the pinwheels
- 9 oz puff pastry sheet (1 pre-portioned sheet)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons sev (fried chickpea noodles)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheet in your refrigerator overnight.
Date & Tamarind Chutney
- Soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and add them to a blender along with all the other ingredients. Blend to a smooth paste. Date & tamarind chutney is ready!
Chili garlic chutney
- Blend all the ingredients together into a smooth paste. Chili garlic chutney is ready!
Masala peanuts
- Coarsely chop the peanuts, then mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set it aside for later.
Dabeli filling
- Wash the potatoes well and steam them until they are full cooked. Instant pot instructions: Pour 2 cups of water in the instant pot liner and place a trivet with the potatoes on top. Close the lid with the sealing ring attached and set the vent to sealing. Cook on Manual/Pressure cook mode for 10-16 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes) and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening. Stove top instructions: Pour 3 cups of water in a pot and place a trivet with the potatoes on top. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook on high until the water starts boiling and then reduce the flame to medium low to keep the water at a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender and a knife inserted into them goes in easily.Let the potatoes cool down until they are easy to handle.
- Peel the potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes well. Add in all the spices and the melted butter and mix well.
- Now add in ¼ cup of the date & tamarind chutney into the dabeli filling and mix everything well to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Refrigerate the filling until needed.
To make the pinwheels
- Flour your working surface and unroll the thawed puff pastry sheet. Using a rolling pin, smooth out the folds of the pastry.
- Spread a thin layer of the chili garlic chutney all over the puff pastry.
- Now top it with the dabeli filling. Spread the filling, so it is uniform thickness all over. Leave a ½ inch gap along the 2 longer edges while doing this. Sprinkle the spicy peanuts all over the filling.
- Starting at the longer edge, roll the puff pastry gently but tightly (like you would a cinnamon bun roll) to make a log. Pinch the end gently to seal. If at any time you feel that the puff pastry is getting warm, refrigerate it immediately and resume work once its chilled.
- Using a serrated knife, cut about 2 inch thick pinwheels out of the pastry log. Place the pinwheels on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart (they puff and spread while baking). Chill the pinwheels in refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes before you want to bake them. See notes below for make ahead freezing instructions
Oven instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F/200C while the pinwheels are chilling. Brush the pinwheels with melted butter and bake them for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown in color.
Air fryer instructions
- Preheat your air fryer for 3 minutes at 375F/190C. Brush the pinwheels with melted butter and place the pinwheels in the air fryer basket with about 1" gap between them, Fry for 8-10 minutes keeping an eye on them.
Serving
- Serve the pinwheels garnished with onion, cilantro, pomegranate seeds and sev. Also serve the leftover chutneys alongside for dipping.
Notes
To make samosa pinwheels
- Only make the date and tamarind chutney from the recipe card above.
- Make samosa filling and green chutney from this recipe.
- Spread the tamarind chutney on the puff pastry and then spread the samosa filling all over it.
- Roll, cut and bake the pinwheels using the instructions in the recipe card above.
- Serve the green chutney and remaining tamarind chutney on the side to dip the pinwheels into.
Estimated Nutrition
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Sowmya says
So tempting! Gonna try this for sure.
Sowmya says
Made these for New Year’s eve. They turned out amazing. Thanks for the easy recipe 🙂
Viola says
Yay! Happy to know that it turned out well.