Recipe: Gran Dabbang’s Pakoras de Acelga with Carrot Chutney

I remember the first time I tried the swiss chard pakoras at Gran Dabbang. The year was 2014, the genesis of BA’s new food renaissance. I had heard about this Palermo café serving Indian and Southeast Asian food that was actually supposed to be spicy. So naturally, like many young and inexperienced food bloggers who feel it’s their innate duty to be the first to report an opening, I rushed to check it out.

I remember walking inside for lunch and seeing the space decorated with plants, a few tables, and a couch. There were only two people in the entire café, both working there. The woman handed me a menu (I was particularly excited to see curry and Vietnamese coffee on there) and the man, who wore a customary British-style turn-up chef cap, hid in the kitchen. Later I’d learn that they were chef Mariano Ramón and his wife, British expat and gardener, Pip Robson. The first dish to come out of the kitchen was the pakoras de acelga, and the moment I took one bite, I knew this random out of place restaurant on Scalabrini Ortiz was really something special.

Behind the Dish

If Mariano Ramon ever took the pakoras de acelga off the regular menu at Gran Dabbang, customers might freak out. I asked Mariano to tell me about how this iconic Dabbang dish came to be, and here’s what he said:

The truth is that the idea was to make swiss chard and chorizo buñuelos, using a tempura technique. But since I needed to put something vegetarian [on the menu], I changed the chorizo colorado for fennel seeds. In those days, “flour” was a bad word. So, I used the batter for pakoras, which is harina de garbanzos (chickpea flour), and a tempura frying technique. Why swiss chard? Because it is our national vegetable in Argentina.

In India, there are so many different varieties of pakoras. It’s a snack you find everywhere. The chutney-yogurt combination is a classic pairing, not just when making pakoras, but in lots of different dish preparations. Our recipes aren’t traditional, but we use the same balanced flavor profiles to season our dishes.

During the quarantine, Dabbang has popped up alongside BBF (best bros forever) Proper to offer delivery and takeaway. But serving pakoras were out of the question because those fried swiss chard fritters just don’t travel well. They need to arrive crispy, and there’s nothing worse than a sad and soggy delivery fritter. So how can we get our fix of the wonders that pakoras bring to our stomachs? I got the not-so-secret recipe and decided to share it with all you beautiful people.

The Recipe: Gran Dabbang’s Pakoras de Acelga with Carrot Chutney, Raita, and Sriracha

Ingredients for the pakoras:

• Hot frying oil
• 1 bunch swiss chard leaves, blanched
• 500g chickpea flour
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 pinch chili powder
• Salt to taste
• Aprox. 300ml water

Cooking Method: In a bowl mix the chickpea flour, chili powder, and fennel seeds. Cut the blanched swiss chard leaves irregularly and place inside the dry flour mixture. Slowly add the water, carefully mixing by hand until the batter reaches a thick paste consistency. Lightly cover the swiss chard leaves in the paste, but not entirely. Fry each leaf individually in hot oil, and flip over to crisp each side evenly. Dry on absorbent paper. Salt to taste.

Ingredients for the chutney

• 500g finely grated carrot
• 200g sugar
• 200g vinegar
• 500g water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cm ginger root, grated
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 TBSP vegetable oil

Cooking Method: Add oil to a hot pot and fry garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds. Add the grated carrots, salt, sugar and cook for two minutes. Then, add the vinegar and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, turn the flame to low and simmer for two hours, or until the mixture has caramelized. Add extra water if necessary. Make sure to taste and correct the sweet-acidic balance by adding more or less sugar and vinegar as needed. Let cool. Chutney can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for 7-10 days)

To Serve: Pile a mountain of swiss chard pakoras on a plate. Place the carrot chutney on the side. Drizzle the pakoras with plain yogurt (raita) and spicy sriracha sauce. Serve immediately.

Dabbang is currently offering quarantine delivery. Check out their Instagram for menu and how to order.

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