Mini paneer kathi rolls

By: Anjum Anand
From: I Love India
Makes: 10 medium-small, or 15 tiny, rolls
Photographer: Martin Poole

Kathi rolls are hot Indian wraps and one of India’s favourite streetfoods. They come in many guises, few of which resemble cold wraps as we know them. I have probably tried most versions, buying them in bustling markets in New Delhi, exchanging money straight from the car window in Mumbai – where they are known as Frankies – and in hotels and homes as streetfood made its way off the street. Different places have their own versions and there are no strict rules: as long as a soft bread with a slight chew envelopes a fresh, hot, tangy filling with red onions for crunch, you are in the right zone and in for a treat. I make these often. They’re tasty, everyone loves them and they are easy to throw together. You can also substitute chicken for the paneer. If you are in a hurry, you can buy tortilla wraps and cut them in half, but homemade wraps are cheaper and tastier.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient

For the marinade

Quantity	Ingredient
100g	plain yogurt, not too sour
20g	roughly chopped root ginger, (peeled weight)
2	large garlic cloves
2/3 teaspoon	see method for ingredients, (fresh if possible)
1 teaspoon	chaat masala
2/3 teaspoon	ground cumin
1 teaspoons	chaat masala
2 teaspoons	concentrated tomato purée
1/8 teaspoons	chilli powder, or to taste

For the rolls

Quantity	Ingredient
240g	paneer, cut into small fingers 2cm wide x 5cm long
2 tablespoons	vegetable oil
3/4	small green pepper, thinly sliced
good handful	thinly sliced red onion rings
50ml	tangy herb chutney
	freshly ground black pepper

For the wrap

Quantity	Ingredient
125g	plain flour, plus more to dust
1 tablespoon	vegetable oil
6-8 tablespoons	water, or as needed

Method

Blend together all the ingredients for the marinade. Season to taste with salt; I use 1 tsp. Add the paneer, gently turn the pieces to coat, and leave to marinate as you prepare the dough.
Put the flour in a bowl and pour in the oil, water and a good pinch of salt. Knead together well; it will be a bit squelchy at the beginning but should become lovely and soft without cracks once it is done. Cover with a damp dish towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
To make the breads, place a tava or frying pan over a medium heat. Divide the dough into 10 pieces and roll each out on a work surface lightly dusted with flour into a thin, round bread around 13cm in diameter. Dust any excess flour off the bread and place on the pan. Cook, turning once, until the bread has just a few light brown spots on both sides; it only takes a minute or so. Repeat to cook all the breads, stacking them on a dish towel, covering each with the corners as you go to help keep them soft. (You can also reheat them in some foil in the oven.)
Now back to the rolls. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the paneer and all its marinade and cook, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced and you can see oil in the pan, 6–8 minutes or so. You might need to add a splash of water at some point once the pan gets dry. Add the onions and cook for another minute, or until the liquid now just coats the ingredients and is still moist. Take off the heat.
Working quickly, spoon a line of the filling down the centre of each wrap, top with 1 rounded tsp Tangy Herb Chutney, wrap them up and serve hot.

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Mini paneer kathi rolls

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For the rolls

For the wrap

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