Kati roll
Encyclopedia
Kati roll also known as Kathi Roll is street-food originating from Kolkata
, India
. Its original form was a kati kabab enclosed in a paratha, but over the years many variants have evolved all of which now go under the generic name of Kati Roll. Today, pretty much any filling rolled up in any kind of Indian flatbread is called a kati roll.
, a popular eatery founded in 1932 that sold kebabs and parathas and other Mughlai food in the heart of Kolkata
. There are many stories about how exactly the roll got started. Some centre around harried office commuters who wanted something quick and portable, some mention British Babus who were too fastidious to touch the kabab. The most likely origin is probably more mundane, but in any case someone decided to roll things up at some point. Nizam enjoyed a virtual monopoly of this method of serving a kabab for decades, but it eventually became commonplace in Kolkata and later spread elsewhere.
The kati part of the name came later. Like everywhere in India, Nizam's used iron skewers to make their kababs; they were easy to maintain and lasted a lifetime. However, as Nizam's popularity grew, these long heavy iron skewers started becoming a problem; far more was required than could be handled. In 1964, Nizam moved to bamboo skewers that were lightweight and available in large numbers. These skewers are referred to in Bengali as kati or stick, and the names kati kabab and kati roll soon stuck. The name eventually became synonymous with any kind of paratha rolled with stuffing (even when neither kati nor kabab was involved) such as the egg roll or the potato roll, and later even for other breads such as naan
or roomali
. The paratha is typically dough that is kneaded into a rope, then coiled into a round patty. This is then flattened with a rolling pin and partly fried in oil on a tawa
. These semi-cooked parathas are then kept aside till needed, at which time they're put back on the tawa and cooked through. If an egg is to be added, it is usually cracked into the tawa and the paratha put on top of the egg; they both cook together and the paratha gets coated on one side with the egg.
Kati Kababs are chicken, mutton or beef chunks marinated in spices and cooked on skewers over coals in a sigri
. When the roll is being prepared, these are taken off the skewers and tossed with onions, chillies and sauces in the tawa, before being put in a thin strip in the centre of the paratha (egg side up if there is egg). At this stage, most roll vendors will put various kinds of sauces, a dash of vinegar, a squeeze of lime, sometimes a shake of chaat masala
and maybe some julienned carrots. The whole thing is then rolled up in paper. In Kolkata, the paper usually covers only half the roll; elsewhere the paper will cover more or even all of the roll.
from Top Chef, Season Seven.
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its original form was a kati kabab enclosed in a paratha, but over the years many variants have evolved all of which now go under the generic name of Kati Roll. Today, pretty much any filling rolled up in any kind of Indian flatbread is called a kati roll.
History
The Kati Roll is said to have started its life from the Nizam Restaurant in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, a popular eatery founded in 1932 that sold kebabs and parathas and other Mughlai food in the heart of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. There are many stories about how exactly the roll got started. Some centre around harried office commuters who wanted something quick and portable, some mention British Babus who were too fastidious to touch the kabab. The most likely origin is probably more mundane, but in any case someone decided to roll things up at some point. Nizam enjoyed a virtual monopoly of this method of serving a kabab for decades, but it eventually became commonplace in Kolkata and later spread elsewhere.
The kati part of the name came later. Like everywhere in India, Nizam's used iron skewers to make their kababs; they were easy to maintain and lasted a lifetime. However, as Nizam's popularity grew, these long heavy iron skewers started becoming a problem; far more was required than could be handled. In 1964, Nizam moved to bamboo skewers that were lightweight and available in large numbers. These skewers are referred to in Bengali as kati or stick, and the names kati kabab and kati roll soon stuck. The name eventually became synonymous with any kind of paratha rolled with stuffing (even when neither kati nor kabab was involved) such as the egg roll or the potato roll, and later even for other breads such as naan
Naan
Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in South and Central Asia, in Iran, and in South Asian restaurants abroad. Influenced by the large influx of South Asian labour, naan has also become popular in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.Originally, naan is a...
or roomali
Making a Kati Roll
Traditionally, a Kati Roll is a Kati Kabab wrapped in a layered parathaParatha
A paratha/parantha/parauntha is an Indian flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta which literally means layers of cooked dough...
. The paratha is typically dough that is kneaded into a rope, then coiled into a round patty. This is then flattened with a rolling pin and partly fried in oil on a tawa
Tava
A tava, tawa, saj, or sac is a large, flat or convex disc-shaped griddle made from metal, usually sheet iron, cast iron, sheet steel or aluminium. It is used in south, central, and west Asia for cooking a variety of flatbreads and as a griddle for meat...
. These semi-cooked parathas are then kept aside till needed, at which time they're put back on the tawa and cooked through. If an egg is to be added, it is usually cracked into the tawa and the paratha put on top of the egg; they both cook together and the paratha gets coated on one side with the egg.
Kati Kababs are chicken, mutton or beef chunks marinated in spices and cooked on skewers over coals in a sigri
Sigri (stove)
A Sigri is a stove used for cooking, especially in North India. The fuel used is usually coal, dried cow dung and wood, and is therefore useful for those who cannot afford liquefied petroleum gas stoves...
. When the roll is being prepared, these are taken off the skewers and tossed with onions, chillies and sauces in the tawa, before being put in a thin strip in the centre of the paratha (egg side up if there is egg). At this stage, most roll vendors will put various kinds of sauces, a dash of vinegar, a squeeze of lime, sometimes a shake of chaat masala
Chaat masala
Chaat masala is a masala, or spice mix, used in Indian and Pakistani Cuisine. It typically consists of amchoor , cumin, Kala Namak, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, asafoetida and chili powder...
and maybe some julienned carrots. The whole thing is then rolled up in paper. In Kolkata, the paper usually covers only half the roll; elsewhere the paper will cover more or even all of the roll.
Variants
Today, the Kati Roll comes in a large number of variants. The innovations tend to be in two areas - the fillings or the wrap. Common variants on the filling are egg, potato, paneer, mixed vegetables and curried chicken or mutton. More exotic versions can have combinations of ingredients, or fancy curries such as Thai or Schezwan.Kati Rolls in the United States
The Kati Roll Company, based in New York City, is credited as being the first fast food chain to bring kati rolls to the United States. Started in 2002 by Payal Saha, The Kati Roll Company has two locations in New York City and one in London. The eatery is well known for its authentic kati roll flavors similar to those found in Kolkata along with fusion collaborations with celebrity chefs including American Chef Angelo SosaAngelo Sosa
Angelo Sosa is an American chef who appeared on the seventh season of the Bravo reality television show Top Chef. He finished as a runner-up, losing to Kevin Sbraga....
from Top Chef, Season Seven.