If you ever do a google search of the Best Street Food in India, it is most likely that you will always find the name of Kolkata on it. Earlier known as Calcutta, the city of joy was once the greatest port city of the country which made it a melting pot of different cultures. With the arrival of different cultures came different cuisines on the restaurants and the streets. Filled up with different varieties of snacks like desi noodles, puchkas or jhal muri, slowly and steadily, Kolkata started emerging as one of the best street food towns of the country.
The term Kathi Roll has now become a buzz word for all street food lovers not just in Bengal but all of India. The dish normally consists of skewered and roasted kebabs meat wrapped up in a maida paratha or flatbread with condiments like onions and sauces. The invention of the dish goes back to a small shop called Nizam’s in the New Market area of the city. It is believed that before the year 1932, the shop used to sell kebabs and parathas separately. However, the Britishers found it inconvenient. The owner of the shop, as a solution to the problem came up with the idea of wrapping the ingredients in the paratha and covering it with a tissue or butter paper to prevent the sauces from spilling.
With the passage of time, versions of Kathi rolls have come up like cheese Kathi roll, vegan Kathi rolls and more. Let us take you back to the streets of Calcutta with the recipe of a rustic Kolkata Egg Kathi Roll
The Dough-
. In 300 gms of maida/flour, add some sugar and salt and teaspoon of dalda or refined. The dalda is going to paratha flaky.
. Distribute the fat evenly till the mixture appears to be in crumbs. Now slowly add hot water and knead the flour into a dough.
. Knead continuously for 5 minutes to knead it into a soft one.
. Coat it will oil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
The Filling-
. Grab some eggs and chop one or two onions finely.
. Take the sliced onions in a bowl and add chopped chillies and lime juice in it. This will pickle the onions and add a tang to its flavour.
. Now, grab one or two cucumbers, de-seed them and chop them into matchsticks.
The Paratha
. Divide the dough into portions of 130 gms.
. Shape the dough into balls start rolling it into parathas. Apply a layer of oil, sprinkle oil and cut a radius. Now roll the paratha along the radius to form layers. Once it looks like the shape of a cone, press it.
. Let the circle relax for 5 minutes.
. Meanwhile, crack an egg in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat it.
. Now, roll the dough nicely with a rolling pin. Make sure to make it at least 22 cm thick in diameter.
. Heat some oil on a tawa or pan and cook the paratha, keep on rotating it till you get that golden crust. Turn over every minute.
. Once the paratha is cooked, spread the egg evenly. Flip the paratha over and cook it properly.
The Assembling
. Sprinkle chaat masala, rock salt on the paratha.
. Evenly spread the onions, squeeze lime and add cucumbers sticks and ketchup. Roll tightly.
. Wrap the roll 3/4 in paper. Tuck the excess paper at the bottom to avoid spillage.
. Tip: You can also add variations of your own to the filling like spicy aloo tarkari, cheese, noodles and other ingredients as well.
. Now you have something that is filling as well delicious for a quick lunch or get-togethers.
Happy Indulgence!
