Kati Roll-Kolkata Style

ByShayma Updated on
YummlyPinterestLinkedIn
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post was featured in Oliver Thring’s weekly round-up. Oliver Thring writes for the Guardian and iStarvin’.

“Always keep some whipped butter next to the sink,” Aunty Bhupinder tells me as I lament over my dry hands after my move to Toronto.

“Once you’re done with cooking,” she continues, “wash your hands and smear a little bit of whipped butter all over them.”

Following the advice of someone I love like a grandmother, I slather some whipped butter on my hands. But in vain.

Aunty Bhupinder’s hands are soft; like cake batter before it goes into the oven. No amount of whipped butter will soften mine up like hers.

As school-going children in Nairobi, while our parents were traveling, we would stay with Aunty Bhupinder and her husband.

Upon our request, every night she would make us parathas and dal, with her mother’s secret mix of garam masala.

The same garam masala she still brings back from Delhi for me every year, even though her mother is no longer with us.

Our cook would come every night, lovingly, to ask if we wanted him to prepare us a meat-based dish; but we only wanted Aunty Bhupinder’s vegetarian food.

Just before dinner we’d peek into her prayer room and watch her kneeling next to the Guru Grant Sahib, head covered in a chiffon dupatta, wondering when she’d be down in the kitchen to spoil us and prepare the flaky parathas and dal tempered with spiced butter.

The Golden Temple, Amritsar, India- from www.wayfaring.info

It is these same hands which I have seen rolling dough for a paratha since I was a child.

On each wrist she wears a thick golden bangle, with two elephant heads joining each bracelet together, and in her ears are diamond studs.

Her hair is pinned back neatly in a bun, like a swiss roll sliced thin.

A rust-hued lipstick, her eyes deep set and beautiful, her eyelashes glossy and long; belying her age.

As I sit on the table in her white kitchen in Washington DC, I watch Aunty Bhupinder as she rolls the dough for the paratha, forming it into a snake-like coil then folding it repeatedly to get those papery thin layers.

Every few minutes she turns her head, her hands working the dough and says, “Shayma, please have some orange juice…can I get you some fruit?” I smile and walk towards the fruit bowl in the dining room.

Like a grandmother to me, I know better than to refuse her offer.

She carefully places each paratha, or ‘paronthees’ as she calls them, on a plate, the omelette clinging to it, all unctuous and golden. 

Specially for me. She knows her kati rolls are among one of my favorite dishes prepared by her.

And on goes the spiced chicken, with a drizzle of jade-green mint chutney; paudinay ki chutney…

Then some fresh onions for crunch; tomatoes (her addition, not traditionally added in Kolkata); green chilies for heat; and fresh cilantro for freshness.

The ultimate street food-snack…rolled up…

Cut in half…

Ready for tucking into…

We end the meal with a cup of tea, into which she adds a pinch of ground whole cardamom powder, brought back from Delhi.

I leave Washington DC, always, with a ziploc containing the pistachio green, fragrant powder.

With my maternal and paternal grandmothers long gone, I am grateful to still have one with me, Aunty Bhupinder.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Kati Roll-Kolkata Style

Yield: 4
Author: Shayma Saadat

Equipment

  • parathas or chapatis I use store-bought parathas
  • mint chutney1

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs or legs (use dark meat)
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp minced garlic (or garlic paste from the jar)
  • 1 tsp minced ginger (or ginger paste from the jar)
  • small bushel of chopped, fresh coriander leaves and stems (enough for the chicken marinade, omelette and for garnishing the kati roll. Use proportions as you please.)
  • 2+2 tiny green chilies, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp tandoori masala (in powder form, not paste)
  • 2 tbsp + 4 tsp corn oil (or any other neutral oil)
  • 4 parathas (or chapatis)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • pinch salt
  • 1 medium onion sliced into thin rings
  • mint chutney1 (paudinay ki chutney)
  • 2 medium tomatoes sliced thin, into disks

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the pulled-chicken

  • In a large bowl, add yoghurt, garam masala, garlic&ginger paste, fresh coriander, 2 chopped green chilies, salt, cracked black pepper and tandoori masala powder with chicken thighs.
  • Marinate 3-5 hours or preferably, overnight.
  • Place a pan over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp oil. Add chicken plus the marinade.
  • Allow to cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. When the chicken has absorbed all the juices and is almost dry, take off the flame.
  • Remove meat from bones, shred by hand and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the paratha and omelette

  • Beat 4 eggs with red chili powder, pinch salt (to taste) and chopped cilantro.
  • Bear in mind that you will be making 4 omelettes, respectively, for each kati roll.
  • Place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. The diameter of the pan should be the same as your paratha or chapati.
  • Add 1 tsp of oil per omelette, to the pan.
  • Slowly pour in 1/4 of the egg mix and swirl, to cover the pan. As soon as you see that the bottom of the omelette is set and the top is still soft and custard-like, place the the paratha on top, it will cling to the omelette.
  • Gently insert a spatula underneath the omelette and flip it over. Let the paratha bronzen a bit, then remove from flame. The omelette will be clinging to the paratha now.

Step 3: Assemble kati roll

  • In a plate, place the paratha with the omelette side up.
  • Add pulled-chicken, then dot with some mint chutney.
  • Add onions, tomatoes, coriander and chopped green chillies. Drizzle some more mint chutney on top.
  • Roll and eat warm.
  • If you are preparing these for a crowd, you can prepare the paratha and omelette and serve this to your guests. Place all the accoutrements in a dish for your guests to assemble themselves at the table.

Notes

1. in a blender, puree a bushel of mint with some water, salt and 1 green chili. Mix this with some yoghurt for paudinay ki chutney, which is what we use for the kati roll.

Hi friend! I'm so happy you're here. As a multi-hyphenated Canadian, I call Toronto, Canada home – I live with my husband and 11-year-old son near a fake castle called Casa Loma. Everything I cook + share with you is based on the ethnic scents and spices of the countries of my heritage. I love to combine these flavors with the local bounty of my home in Canada.

Similar Posts

88 Comments

  1. Pingback: Dark Chocolate Almost-Flourless Cake in the Pakistani Manner — Silk Route food memoir by Shayma Saadat – The Spice Spoon

  4. Good topic .This Great blog referring to good topic . It is very interesting . I like it because it has give me very useful information. thank you for sharing.

  7. Sounds like a delicious recipe Could you please give me the recipe for Garam masala, paratha and Mint chutney ?

  8. Very good website you have here but I was curious about if you
    knew of any message boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article?
    I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get opinions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest.
    If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Many thanks!

  19. A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you should write more about this issue, it might
    not be a taboo matter but typically folks don’t speak about
    these issues. To the next! Cheers!!

  20. hi!,I love your writing so much! percentage we be in contact extra about your article on AOL?
    I need an expert on this space to resolve my problem.
    Maybe that is you! Having a look ahead to see
    you.

  24. This is really attention-grabbing, You’re an overly skilled blogger.
    I have joined your feed and look forward to in quest of more of your magnificent post.
    Also, I have shared your website in my social networks

  25. Good post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I
    stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always helpful to read through articles from other authors and use something from other websites.

  30. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as
    I provide credit and sources back to your weblog? My blog is in the exact
    same area of interest as yours and my users would genuinely benefit from some
    of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this
    okay with you. Regards!

  31. Hi, I think your website might be having browser compatibility
    issues. When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks
    fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has
    some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads
    up! Other then that, very good blog!

  32. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to mention that I’ve truly enjoyed browsing your
    weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing for your feed and I hope you write again soon!

  33. I’m really loving the theme/design of your weblog.

    Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems?
    A number of my blog readers have complained about my site
    not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome.
    Do you have any ideas to help fix this problem?

  34. Just made these. They were SO good and so easy to make! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

Comments are closed.