They see us roll-ing, they salivating

Rolls — especially Kolkata-style egg rolls or chicken rolls — have a bit of a legacy that parallels sandwiches.

It is said that John Montagu — the fourth Earl of a place called Sandwich in France — loved to play cards, which would get soiled because he ate in between. Thus, his cooks are said to have served him meat between two pieces of bread, making the first sandwich.

A similar story goes around regarding the famous Kati Roll or Kathi Roll of Kolkata. As Kamalika Mukherjee writes for MoneyControl:

Founded by Raza Hassan Saheb in 1932, the shop initially sold kebabs and parathas separately. But the sahibs, who visited in great numbers to sample the fare, found that eating kebabs was a messy affair. Also, Nizam’s had been using heavy iron skewers to grill its kebabs, which became a problem as demand grew. It was difficult to keep up with the orders, so the chefs came up with an inventive solution: they started grilling the meat on bamboo skewers or ‘kathi’ (Bengali term for stick) for easier production, and wrapped the meat in parathas for customers who wanted to have a quick meal. The final touch: wrapping the roll in paper to prevent the customer’s hands getting greasy, a practice that continues to this day.

Over time, that meat from the “kathi” came to be replaced by eggs. Today’s it’s a staple street food, and a must-have for pandal-hoppers during Durga Puja.

So, here is a recipe for Kolkata street-style egg roll, just for you. It serves four people.

Ingredients

For paratha dough:
1. Maida : 2 cups
2. Salt: ½ tsp
3. Sugar: ½ tsp
4. Refined oil or Ghee: 2 tbsp, and some extra for frying
5. Water or milk: Approximately ¾ cup
For the egg layer:
1. Eggs: 4-8 (1-2 per roll)
2. Salt: To taste
3. Black pepper powder: To taste
For filling:
1. Red Onion: 2 medium (very thinly sliced)
2. Cucumber: 1 medium (peeled and thinly sliced)
3. Carrots: 1 (peeled and thinly sliced)
4. Green Chilli: 2-3 (finely chopped, optional for me)
5. Lemon / Lime: 1 (cut into wedges)
6. Chaat masala: 1-2 tsp
7. Tomato ketchup: As needed
8. Green chilli sauce: To taste (Optional)

Prep

For the parathas:

In a large bowl, mix the maida, salt, sugar, and 2 tbsp oil until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs
Gradually add the water and knead for 8-10 minutes until you get a smooth and soft dough
Smear a few drops of oil on the surface, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 20-30 minutes
Once the dough is rested, divide it into four equal balls
Roll each ball thin, brush lightly with oil, dust with a pinch of maida, fold it, and roll it back into a coi
Let the coils rest for another 5 minutes before you roll them out into parathas

For the fillings:

In a bowl, toss together the sliced onions, cucumber, and green chillies
Do not add salt to the raw salad beforehand, or it will release water
Whisk the eggs in a small cup with a pinch of salt and black pepper just before cooking each roll

Egg roll recipe

Heat a heavy flat tawa or griddle over medium-high heat
Place a rolled paratha on the hot tawa and dry-roast for 30-40 seconds on each side until light white blisters appear
Drizzle ½ tsp of oil and lightly fry both sides until 80% cooked
Remove and set aside
Add 1 tbsp of oil to the hot tawa
Pour the whisked egg onto the centre of the tawa; tilt the pan slightly to spread it to roughly the size of the paratha
While the top of the egg is still uncooked, place the semi-cooked paratha directly on top of it and press down gently
Cook for 30–45 seconds until the egg is cooked and set
Flip the paratha so the egg side is facing up. Cook the bottom paratha side with a few drops of oil around the edges until crisp and golden brown
Remove the paratha and place it egg-side up on a clean, flat surface
Place a generous line of the onion-cucumber-chilli salad mixture across the centre of the paratha
Squeeze a lemon wedge over the salad
Sprinkle a generous pinch of chaat masala
Drizzle tomato ketchup and green chilli sauce over the filling
Roll it up, and enjoy!