PICKLED JALAPENO WRAPS
The day has come. I am sharing a Kathi roll recipe on the blog! If you know me, you probably have heard me talk about my immense love for street food. When I first shared with my friends that I am starting a food blog, many exclaimed their excitement to see my takes on some of my favorite street food dishes. It only makes sense that the Kathi roll is the first of (many) street food classics I’ll be sharing here reimagined The Tash Mashup way. :)
The Kati roll originated in Bengal many moons ago and today there are many excellent, incredible, and delicious versions of this beloved street-food legend. Kathi rolls are exceptional because you can truly make them your way with whatever filling you’d like, wrapped or unwrapped, as a snack or meal...I think you get where I am going here. This particular version is special because it's packed with those achari (pickled) flavors and that we all adore when it comes to our favorite Indian street food dishes. The secret? Jarred pickled jalapenos. It’s quite extraordinary the way in which jarred pickled jalapenos and the vinegar-y brine from the jar mimics an achari masala blend so beautifully. It’s one of my favorite cooking hacks and I am excited to present it to you in the form of a scrumptious Kathi roll that hits all of the notes and then some once you add the base sauce that’s made with your favorite flavor of achaar, yogurt, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
INGREDIENTS
For the Kathi rolls:
5-6 parathas (I used the Kawan brand)
1 tablespoon of oil (I used Trader Joe Organic Virgin Coconut Oil)
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, cut into thin slices lengthwise
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin slices lengthwise
1 pound of chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 cup jarred pickled jalapenos, finely chopped to mimic relish
3 tablespoons of brine from the jarred pickled jalapenos
1/4 teaspoon of crushed white or black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds, slightly crushed
1 tablespoon of dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), optional but highly recommended
For the base sauce:
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of pickle or your choice (I used Mother’s Recipe garlic pickle)
2 tablespoons of finely minced cilantro
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon or more to taste of granulated white sugar
DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, combine your chicken with the marinade ingredients: jarred pickled jalapenos, the pickled jalapeno brine, white pepper, ginger-garlic paste, crushed cumin seeds, and fenugreek leaves. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes and/or up to 4 hours.
While the chicken is marinating, it's time to make our base sauce! Simply whisk together all of the ingredients noted in the base sauce section: Greek yogurt, pickle, cilantro, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and white sugar.
Once you are ready to prepare your rolls, in a large nonstick pan, heat your coconut oil on medium-high heat and place your marinated chicken into the pan. Cook for your marinated chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through and there are no more juices left in the pan. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside in a separate container or plate.
On high heat in the same pan that you cooked your chicken, add in your butter to deglaze the pan. Once the butter is melted, add in your sliced onion and bell peppers. If desired, add in an additional pinch of salt and pepper to taste if you want at this point of the cooking process to your veggies. After 3-5 minutes, remove your cooked bell peppers and onion and set them aside in a separate container or plate.
Heat up your parathas according to the package directions. For the Kawan style parathas I used (my favorite), I heated them for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
To assemble your rolls, spread 1-2 tablespoons of your base sauce, layer in your chicken, and then top with the sliced bell peppers and onion, before rolling up the paratha! Entirely optional and up to you, but I like to also wrap these with foil to make sure there’s no spillage! Use the leftover base sauce as an extra dipping sauce for your rolls! Enjoy!
~ Feeds 2-6
Notes
I used garlic pickle but mango, lemon, or lime pickle would also all be great contenders for the base sauce recipe!
This recipe is also delicious with paneer or with vegetables of your choice. If using veggies, skip the marination! Just combine your paneer and/or vegetable with the marinade ingredients and get straight to the cooking in step 3!
I used parathas, but this recipe is great with anything you have on hand, including tortillas or rotis!
While it is by no means traditional, the base sauce truly takes these rolls to the next level and amps up the achari flavors! I definitely recommend making these rolls WITH the sauce. If it’s not for you, you could also use the traditional cilantro-mint chutney in these too in place of the base sauce!