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A one-dish, no-fuss
meal, kathi kebab rolls are easy to carry and eat anytime anywhere,
The dessert could be a cream roll. Nizam’s was the eatery that made its reputation on the succulence of this house specialty. So indelible is their imprint that many have forgotten that the original kathi was a boneless boti kebab and came unencumbered with the parantha. Today, it is unimaginable to try separating the Siamese twins.
The kathi kebab has evolved as an independent genre and is encountered not only in roadside kiosks but also in clubs and restaurants. The bread that comes along with the spicy chicken, mutton or yes, the inevitable paneer is no ordinary roomali roti or parantha but is or should be a delicate pancake-like egg enriched envelope. The street-side performer is never shy of showing off his skills—breaking the egg with one hand on the rim of the pan just in time to pour the yolk and white over the dough that has earlier been tossed in the air spread like a small pizza base and then expertly dropped on to the shallow frying pan. The egg is gently but firmly distributed all over the surface and not allowed to overcook. Actually in the perfect roll, the presence of the egg is barely discernible. For the pure vegetarian, the eggs are omitted but frankly, like the egg less cake and decaffeinated coffee, they never taste the same. Nor should one underestimate the stuffing. The mini tikka taste very different from the run-of-the-mill stuff that is usually served. Like the pav bhaji the house masala is what gives character and personality to a kathi roll filling. Contrary to popular belief, you can make more than decent kathi rolls at home. These are much more easy to turn out in remarkable quality and quantity than equal measure of hot dogs or burgers. You don’t have to cramp your style by limiting to the regulation wrap at home—we have had stunning dosai-based kathis—any decent parantha or roti is fine. But do please stop short of recycling leftover tikkas of the heat-and-eat variety. Culinary poetic license does not extend this far. |
THERE
is something endearing about wraps and rolls, part of their allure is
perhaps due to nostalgia for schooldays when anything other than the
hostel diet or the familiar meals at home was a major treat. Most of us
kids could only afford to splurge on spring rolls or kathi kebab
rolls. A nice one-dish meal at a pinch, but more often than not a
substantial snack in lieu of a proper meal—a no-fuss finger food, easy
to carry along on a picnic.