Paneer Kathi Roll Recipe (Paneer Wrap)

Paneer Kathi Roll is a popular street food snack originating from Kolkata, consisting of spiced and grilled paneer cubes wrapped in a soft, flaky paratha or roti, layered with spicy chutneys, crunchy vegetables, and bold spices, creating a flavorful and satisfying handheld delight. My Paneer Roll recipe is one of the best kathi roll (or frankie or wrap) that I have ever made; I can honestly say it beats the ones that street vendors in Kolkata sell!

About Paneer Kathi Roll Recipe

Paneer Roll is one of the variants of the popular Indian street food kathi roll. Since Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is a preferred choice of food all across India, especially for vegetarians, Paneer Kathi Roll a.k.a Paneer Wrap also automatically becomes a much-loved dish.

In addition to this Paneer Roll, there are various ways to make street-style kathi rolls and frankies at home. I have already shared a few delicious variations including the classic Frankie Recipe and the original Kathi Roll made with mixed vegetables.

Here, soft spiced paneer tikka, spicy green chutney, and a crunchy mixed veggie salad are wrapped in a whole wheat roti for a healthy, tasty and portable lunch.

The paneer tikka is made on skillet (tawa) and the vibrant green chutney and healthy mixed vegetable salad are a breeze to make.

The outer covering is made with whole wheat dough. Overall, this is a nutritious and delicious vegetarian Paneer Wrap recipe. To turn this kathi roll into a paneer frankie, simply add an egg layer to the roti prior to rolling.

For this Paneer Roll recipe, feel free to use either fresh, homemade paneer or frozen paneer. If using frozen paneer, then follow the directions on the pack, and then marinate the paneer. For the tikka marinade, it is best is to use hung curd or Greek yogurt.

For the green chutney of this Paneer Wrap, I have used basic ingredients – fresh coriander leaves, fresh mint leaves, green chili, ginger, garlic cloves, hung curd, roasted cumin powder and dried mango powder (amchur powder). This adds a zesty and fresh flavor to the overall dish.

You can serve this Paneer Kathi Roll as an evening snack, lunch or in brunch. There is some prep work required for making the green chutney and the salad topping, but preparing these components is simple. If you have leftover whole wheat dough, then the recipe is relatively quick and easy too.

If you enjoy paneer filled wraps, have a look at this flavorful and robust Paneer Shawarma recipe, which is vegetarian twist on the classic shawarma.

How to Make Paneer Roll

Don’t get discouraged when you see the number of steps for making this delicious street food – I promise they’re all quite simple!

Marinate Paneer

1. In a mixing bowl, take 6 tablespoons hung curd or greek yogurt.

2. Add the following list of herbs and spices:

• ½ tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
• ¼ teaspoon chaat masala powder – optional
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
• black salt or regular salt to taste.

3. Mix very well.

4. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and mix again.

5. Now add 200 grams cubed paneer.

6. Gently mix so the marinade coats the paneer cubes evenly. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes. If keeping for more than 30 minutes, then refrigerate.

Make Ahead Tip: If you want to work ahead, paneer tikka can be marinated up to 1 day in advance.

Prepare Green Chutney

7. Take the below listed ingredients in a blender or small grinder

• ½ cup coriander leaves
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 1 green chilli or ½ teaspoon chopped green chilies
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 to 2 small garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) OR ½ teaspoon chaat masala – optional
• ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder

8. Add 1 teaspoon water (optional) and grind coarsely. Since the coriander and mint leaves are rinsed, the moisture from them helps in grinding.

9. Then add 2 tablespoons hung yogurt or thick curd.

10. Grind to a smooth chutney. Remove in a bowl and keep aside.

Make Ahead Tip: Green chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Prepare Veg Salad

11. Thinly slice 1 medium onion. Grate carrots and shred or thinly slice the cabbage and capsicum (bell pepper).

In total, you will need ⅓ cup thinly sliced cabbage, ⅓ cup grated carrot, ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum and ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions.

12. Take all the veggies in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon chaat masala, ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt to taste.

13. Mix very well and keep aside.

Knead Dough

14. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta) and ¼ teaspoon salt to a large mixing bowl.

15. Then add ½ tablespoon oil and gradually add ½ cup water. Start by adding ¼ cup water in this step, and add the remaining water as needed during kneading.

16. Begin to knead. Add water as required and knead to a smooth, soft dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Make Roti

17. After 20 to 30 minutes, divide the dough into small or medium sized balls, depending on the size of the wraps you want to make.

You can also make mini wraps as an appetizer if you’d like.

18. Dust the dough ball with some flour. Gently roll to thin roti.

The roti should not be thick. You can add more flour if needed while rolling.

19. Place the roti on a hot tawa.

Cook the base till you see bubbles appearing on the roti, or the roti is approximately ¼ cooked.

Note that the tawa should be hot, so cook on a medium-high to high flame. If you make them on a low heat, the roti will become hard or crisp.

20. Then flip roti and spread some oil all over.

21. Then flip again when the second side is ½ cooked.

Spread some oil on this side too. You will see golden blisters on the roti.

22. Flip once or twice more for even roasting. Press the edges with spatula, so that the edges are also cooked well.

23. Cook till the roti has some golden blisters across it. Remove and keep the roti warm in a roti basket or casserole so that they remain warm.

Prepare all rotis this way, keeping them warm as you work.

Cook Paneer Tikka

24. Below is the photo of the marinated paneer after 30 minutes.

25. Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a pan. Keep the flame to low or medium-low and add the marinated paneer cubes.

Using thick yogurt or hung curd means the marinade coated the paneer pieces very well. If you have used thin yogurt, then just add the paneer cubes and don’t pour in the leftover marinade.

Instead of pan frying, you can also grill paneer cubes in the oven.

26. After a minute turn over the paneer cubes.

27. Pan fry the paneer cubes, turning often till the marinade is cooked and the paneer becomes soft.

28. Keep stirring and turning the cubes at intervals. Also, be sure to use a well seasoned pan or a non-stick pan to prevent the paneer cubes from tearing.

Once the paneer is done, remove the pan from the heat and keep aside. I cooked the paneer for about 4 minutes on a medium-low heat.

Do not cook too much, or the paneer will become chewy and dense! Timing will vary depending on the thickness of the pan, intensity of the flame, etc. 

Assemble & Make Paneer Kathi Roll

29. Take one roti.

30. Spread the mint-coriander-curd chutney over it.

If packing for a tiffin, do not spread the chutney on the roti. Pack it separately.

31. Place the paneer tikka cubes on the center third of the roti.

32. Top with the veg salad.

If packing for a tiffin, do not add the veg salad to the roll; pack it separately.

33. Roll both the sides of the roti and make a wrap.

34. Wrap the bottom half of the rolls in butter paper or aluminum foil to keep the filling from falling out while eating.

If packing the paneer kathi roll for tiffin, then wrap the entire roll in aluminum foil or parchment paper.

35. Serve Paneer Kathi Roll with the remaining chutney and veggie salad on the side. They’re also quite good with Tomato Ketchup.

Expert Tips

1. Paneer: Use fresh homemade paneer. Do not make this recipe with paneer that has gone sour or become rancid. If using frozen paneer cubes thaw them according to package instructions.
2. Yogurt: For the marination, you can either use hung curd or Greek yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is not very sour.
3. Cooking Paneer: Do not cook or pan-fry the marinated paneer cubes for a long time as this will result in them becoming chewy or rubbery. The paneer cubes can also be grilled in an oven at 180 degrees to 200 degrees Celsius, until lightly charred and golden.
4. Spiciness: Adjust the green chilies as needed, to make a spicy or less spicy chutney.
5. Veggie Options: In the vegetable salad, feel free to add your choice of vegetables – beetroot, onions, carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, lettuce are some good options.
6. Wrap Options: The roti or paratha can be made from scratch as shown above or for a quicker take on the recipe, you could use frozen paratha or roti. Leftover dough can also be used to make the roti. An interesting variation is to use Pita Bread instead of a whole wheat flat bread.
7. Scaling: This recipe can easily be scaled up to make for larger servings.

FAQs

Paneer Kathi Roll recipe from the archives was first published on January 2017.