Kathi Roll (also called kati roll) is an Indian street food snack. It's made of paratha or roti bread that is pan fried and rolled with fillings like eggs, pickled red onions, green onions, tomato chutney, and chaat masala. There are many different versions and ours is delicious and easy to make at home. One is a snack and two is a meal. Enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
We don't have too many Indian food options in Hawaii, so when we crave Indian food I often try to make dishes at home. One of the dishes/snacks I missed most from living in NYC were kathi rolls.
I first learned about kathi rolls during college. They were affordable, portable, and most importantly, delicious. The most popular place was called The Kati Roll Company which had one location in the Village. They have several other locations now, but I'll always remember that original fondly. I ate kathi rolls at least once a week. I'd have one for a light lunch or two for complete dinner.
Kathi rolls (also spelled kati rolls) is an Indian street food dish that originated from Kolkata. The original kathi roll was a meat skewer wrapped with paratha bread. Nowadays there are many versions of kathi rolls.
Some with meat, some with cheese, some with potatoes, and some with veggies only. Some kathi rolls are heavily spiced, others less so. Some come with tomato chutney, others with green chutney. The variations are endless!
Our version is a simple and tasty one that you can easily make at home. It is a flexible recipe that you can adapt to your own flavor preferences.
This recipe is vegetarian but feel free to add any meat if you'd like. Sometimes we added shredded roast chicken, leftover steak (thinly sliced), or pan fried tofu. Not traditional, but delicious for sure.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make kathi rolls:
- Frozen paratha
- Eggs
- Red onion
- Lime
- Green onions, thinly sliced
- Chaat masala
- Tomato chutney or achaar
Now let's get cooking!
Step by Step Directions
Ok! Here's how to make kathi rolls:
Quick pickle the red onions.
Make a "quick pickle" with the red onions. Do this by placing the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the lime all over the onions. Toss and mix.
Prepare eggs.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Season with salt. Set aside.
Cook paratha one side.
In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, pan fry one side of the paratha until golden brown. Then flip the paratha over to cook the other side.
Cook paratha other side with egg.
After 2 minutes of cooking the second side, pour half the beaten egg mixture over the cooked side of the paratha. Let the sit and slowly cook on that surface for 1 minute.
Note: The egg might spill over the edges of the paratha as you pour. Don't worry, just use a spatula to push it back on top of the paratha. The goal is to keep as much of the egg on the surface of the paratha as possible.
Then quickly flip the paratha over so that the egg can finish cooking egg-side down on the pan.
Season.
Remove the paratha from the pan. Place on a cutting board with the egg side facing up. Sprinkle chaat masala over the egg followed by a sprinkle of salt.
Add pickled red onions.
Place half of the pickled red onion on the paratha. Make sure to place the onions in the center, in a line running down the middle of the paratha.
Add chutney or achaar.
Top with the half the tomato chutney or achaar.
Add green onions.
Top with green onions.
Roll and eat.
Tightly roll the paratha like a burrito (though no need to seal the tops/bottom). When making this for myself, I like to eat the kathi roll while standing over the kitchen sink as it can get messy. Eat it hot and fresh!
Repeat.
Repeat Steps 1-10 to make the second kathi roll.
Make it fancy.
If you're serving this to guests or making multiple kathi rolls, you many want to make it pretty and less messy to eat at a table.
To do this, cut some parchment or wax paper and roll the bottom half of the kathi roll with the paper. Seal the bottom of the roll by gently pushing/stuff the paper upwards into the end of the kathi roll. Serve and enjoy.
FAQs and Tips
It does not keep. Make however many you plan to eat and eat them right away. Ideally within 10 minutes of making the dish!
You might be tempted to defrost the paratha before cooking. Do not do this. I accidentally did this the first time around and the paratha end up sticking to the pan and getting all twisted.
Take the paratha straight from the freezer to the nonstick pan (you can also use a regular pan, just make sure to add oil).
It's endless! I think of this recipe as a basic kathi roll. From here you can embellish as much as you'd like. I know many people like to use cilantro instead of green onions. Or you can use both.
Other people like to scramble the eggs separately and treat it like another filling ingredient by rolling it with the cooked paratha.
Add meat, tofu, or potatoes! Cook all of these beforehand and assemble as you please.
Kathi Roll Recipe
See below and enjoy ^_^
Kathi Rolls
Kathi Roll is an Indian street food snack. It’s made of roti or paratha bread that’s pan fried and rolled with fillings like eggs, pickled red onions, green onions, chutney, and chaat masala. There are many different versions and ours is delicious and easy to make at home. One is a snack and two is a meal. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 frozen paratha
- 2 eggs
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lime
- 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons chaat masala
- 2 tablespoons tomato chutney or achaar
Instructions
- First thing we do is make a "quick pickle" with the red onions. Place the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the lime over the onions. Gently toss and mix. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Season with a sprinkle of salt. Set aside.
- In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, pan fry one side of the paratha until golden brown. This takes about 3 minutes.
- Flip the paratha over to pan fry the other side. After 2 minutes of cooking the other side, pour half the beaten egg mixture over the cooked side of the paratha. Let it sit and slowly cook on that surface for 1 minute.
- Then quickly flip the paratha over so that the egg can finish cooking egg-side down on the pan.
- Remove the paratha to a cutting board with the egg side facing up. Sprinkle half the chaat masala over the egg surface followed by a sprinkle of salt.
- Place half of the pickled red onion on the paratha. Place it in the center, in a line running down the middle of the paratha.
- Top the red onions with the half the tomato chutney or achaar.
- Top with the green onions.
- Tightly roll the paratha like a burrito (though no need to seal the tops/bottom). Stand over the kitchen sink, eat it hot and fresh!
- Repeat Steps 1-10 to make the second kathi roll.
- Or if you want to make it "fancy" cut some parchment or wax paper and roll the bottom half of the kathi roll with the paper and seal the bottom. Serve and enjoy.