Vegan Chicken Kati Rolls
A popular Indian street food, our vegan chicken kati rolls are spicy, fresh and full of delicious flavours!
In this post we’ll show you, step by step, how to make our delicious vegan chicken kati rolls. I’m unsure why we don’t talk more about kati rolls; sometimes spelt “kathi roll” or “khati roll” but more frequently in the UK – “kati rolls”. A bit like a burrito, kati rolls are a paratha instead of a tortilla, filled with something spicy, sprinkled with garnishes, and then rolled tightly and eaten by hand.
Our dear nanny-ma always used to say how food tastes so much better when you eat it using your hands. And she was right! There’s nothing like picking up a kati roll, dunking it in yoghurt sauce and taking a huge, juicy bite! But of course… There’s nothing wrong with using a folk and knife, as I often do – particularly if our kati rolls are served with salad or other sides.
A bit more about kati rolls
The beauty of the kati roll lies in its versatility; the filling can vary greatly, with different types of meat, paneer or even just vegetables, making it customisable according to taste and dietary preferences. The roll is often served warm, with a burst of tangy and spicy flavours from garnishes.
Growing up, kati rolls were a big deal in our family. They took centre stage at any major celebration and I remember my mum doing the rounds teaching family, friends and neighbours how to make them! Once someone had tried them, they were addicted. This recipe aims to replicate that exact one with all plant-based ingredients.
Oh… In case you’re wondering… ‘Kati’ roughly translates to ‘stick’ – I’m guessing to describe the shape of a kati roll.
Origins of the kati roll
The kati roll originated in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, during the late 19th century. Its creation is attributed to the famous Nizam’s restaurant in Kolkata, located in the heart of the city. The story goes that the Nizam’s chef wanted to create a quick and portable snack for the workers and travellers on the go, and thus, the kati roll was born.
In one way or another, they’ve always been a huge part of our life. From the omelettes that would get rolled in hot parathas for breakfast on the go, to the spicy, filled kati rolls for special dinners. It’s the true taste of home for us. And if you like spicy wraps, you may also enjoy our lentil wraps with tandoori cauliflower.
Recipe highlights
- Making your own parathas takes a little effort, but they’re so worth it! And, I think the process is really fun!
- Great for special occasions and dinner parties as a starter or main
- Recipe makes eight vegan chicken kati rolls – a generous two each for a family of four – but you can easily double the recipe or plate one each with a couple of sides
- Use your favourite chicken alternative as this will have a big impact on the final taste and texture of your vegan kati roll filling
Ingredients you’ll need to make our vegan chicken kati rolls
Atta – atta is chapati flour and you’ll need this to make the parathas. It’s available in all major grocery stores. You can buy bags from 1kg or, as we do, 10kg. Go for the ‘medium’ type which is a blend of wholemeal and white flour. Atta contains a decent amount of protein; about 14g per 100 grams of whole wheat atta.
Plant-based butter – we use plant-based butter to make our flaky parathas. Plant-based butters are pretty easy to find in grocery stores these days. Go for the block type rather than a spread.
Sunflower oil – you’ll need sunflower oil to cook your filling and to make your parathas. You can also use vegetable oil.
Red onions – we use red onions in most of our recipes that call for onions. In this recipe, we use red onions to create our filling and to sprinkle onto our paratha just before rolling it.
Garlic – I know I go on about this, but please use fresh garlic. You really can’t beat the taste of freshly crushed (or finely grated) garlic.
Ginger – again, please use fresh ginger for the best flavour. Fresh ginger keeps well in the fridge. Wrap it in paper and it will last weeks.
Fresh tomatoes – just a couple of fresh tomatoes help to develop a lovely, balanced flavour and prevents your filling from being too dry. You can use a couple of plum tomatoes from a tin if easier.
Tomato puree – this stuff is quick and convenient to use and contributes to giving a good, rich base to your vegan kati roll filling. Tubes of tomato puree are budget-friendly and really easy to find.
Spices – once the tomatoes have been added, we tip our spices into the pan. For this recipe, as well as salt and pepper, we use garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric powder and the flavour packed achari powder.
Achari powder is a blend of spices that adds delicious depth of flavour to your vegan kati roll filling. It’s pretty easy to find in grocery stores and you’ll most certainly find it at independent Asian food stores. Please don’t skip this ingredient as it’s what transforms these vegan kati rolls into a super tasty dish!
Chicken alternative – the thing about plant-based meat alternatives is that alone, they generally don’t taste of very much. But this makes them perfect for soaking up all the spices and flavours of ingredients we’ll be using in these vegan chicken kati rolls.
Use your favourite chicken alterative or you could make this recipe with firm tofu.
Butter beans – these are added and pretty much mash while the filling is cooking. They add some lovely creaminess, more protein and are of course very nutritious. Just one 400g drained can of pre-cooked butter beans is needed.
Red or green chillies – if you don’t mind a bit more heat, fresh chillies add another punch sprinkled on the paratha, along with the onions. To keep on the safe side, I generally scrape the seeds out as they carry the heat. Fresh chillies are optional, you don’t have to use them but they definitely add to the kati roll taste and experience!
Lemon juice – the final ingredient to add before you roll your paratha – a splash of lemon juice. You can’t beat freshly squeezed lemon juice but you can use ready bottled juice too.
We also use lemon juice to make our yoghurt and coriander sauce to mop up our vegan kati rolls.
Plant-based yogurt – as already mentioned above, kati rolls often come with some sort of dip. We never, ever eat them without one! Our favourite is a quick and easy yoghurt and coriander sauce. So, you’ll need a plain, plant-based yogurt. We usually go for soya yoghurt.
Coriander – and finally, we need fresh coriander to make that fresh and flavourful yoghurt sauce.
Ingredient quantities to make our vegan chicken kati rolls
For the filling
5 tbps sunflower oil
200g finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic (crushed or finely grated)
1 tsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
1 tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 tsp achari powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
175g chicken alternative
400g tin butter beans (drained)
250ml hot water (boiled in kettle)
For the parathas
640g atta (medium) plus extra for dusting your work surface
450g cold water
50g butter softened
1 tbsp sunflower oil (to grease your cooking pan)
For finishing
1 fresh lemon (juice only)
Half a medium onion (finely sliced)
3 red or green chillies (finely sliced)
For the yoghurt dipping sauce
500g plant-based yogurt
1 lemon (juice only)
50g fresh coriander
Equipment you’ll need
Essential equipment
You’ll end a large lidded pan to make the filling and a tava, or large heavy-based frying pan, to make the parathas. A tava is a large, usually cast iron, pan that is used to make parathas and other South Asian flatbreads. Cast iron pans can get really hot so are perfect for these types of breads. However, if you don’t own a tava, a heavy-based frying pan will work. It needs to be big enough to hold your parathas which will be about 20cm (providing you roll them that size).
Useful but not essential equipment
We use a blender or liquidiser to make the yoghurt sauce. It really helps to bring out the flavour of the coriander but it isn’t essential. You could smash the coriander in a pestle and mortar or, simply chop it very finely.
How to make our vegan chicken kati rolls
Making kati rolls may seem daunting but actually, it’s no more than you would probably do for a special homecooked dinner. There are four steps to get the job done:
- Make the dough. It needs at least an hour to rest and you could make it hours or the night before you need it. Simply keep in an airtight container, in the fridge. I advise against leaving the dough in the fridge for more than 24 hours as it starts to get loose.
- Make the filling. This is a simple one pot process that takes under an hour.
- Make your parathas. If it’s your first-time making parathas, then this is likely to be the most intimidating part. Relax, learn and enjoy the process. They don’t have to be perfectly round, you’ll get there with practice!
- Filling and rolling. In this final step we put our kati rolls together by adding two to three tablespoons of the filling onto the paratha, sprinkling it with a few sliced diced onions, green chillies and a drizzle of lemon juice before rolling.
If you’re short on time, you could always make the filling a day or two ahead and even make the dough the night, or hours before you need to start cooking.
You could even make these kati rolls a day ahead, wrap well in foil and keep in the fridge until you need them. I don’t think they’re quite as good as freshly made, but they reheat reasonably well in the microwave in under a minute. Be careful not to heat them in a microwave for too long as the parathas can turn rubbery.
Instructions to make them
To make your kati roll filling
- Once all your ingredients are on the countertop ready, have your kettle ready, half filled with boiled water.
- Heat the cooking oil a little and then add the finely diced onions and cook them until they become soft and caramelised (about 10 mins).
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook it for about two minutes. Keep moving it around or it will stick. Be careful that it doesn’t burn – you want to fry it slightly, that’s all.
- Next tip in the fresh diced tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook for a few minutes, on a medium heat, until the tomatoes break down and you have what resembles a chunky tomato sauce.
- Tip in all the powdered spices, salt and pepper and cook your masala sauce for about 10 minutes.
- Now add the butter beans and chicken and mix in well. Cook for about 10 minutes until everything has heated through and picked up the flavours.
- Add about 250mls of water from your kettle to the pan, give everything a mix, put the lid on and cook for about 25 minutes. Check frequently and add a splash of water from your kettle if there’s any sticking.
- Your kati roll filling is done when the when the water has been absorbed and the beans have broken down. There shouldn’t be any liquid.
To make the parathas
- Have your atta in a large bowl and start by adding roughly half of the 450 grams of water. Use your hands to bring the dough together before adding the remaining water. Knead and bring together in the bowl for about five minutes until you have a dough that is sticky to the touch. Create a rough doughball in the bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rest for at least an hour. I usually use this time to make the filling.
- After the resting time, divide the dough into eight pieces and form tight doughballs. Place on lightly floured plate/s and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Lightly dust your work surface with atta and roll out your first dough ball into a circle that is at least 20cm. Use your fingers to lightly smother a small amount of butter all over before rolling it up to create a long sausage. Now wrap the sausage around into a spiral and pat it down. Repeat for the remaining doughballs.
- Add a teaspoon of oil to your tava or heavy-based frying pan and use a piece of kitchen towel to grease your pan. Then warm the pan on a medium heat while you re-roll your first paratha.
- Making sure your work surface is well dusted with atta, flatten the dough spiral, sprinkle it with a bit of atta and roll out to about 20cms. Pick it up and flip it between your hands to dust off any excess flour and place on the pan. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds on one side before flipping it over to cook completely on the other. Then, flip it back to finish cooking on the side you started. You should have those lovely black and brown dots and the paratha will be puffy when it’s cooked. Using a buttering knife, spread a very small amount of butter on the surfact and then remove from the pan. Place the paratha on a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. Repeat until all eight parathas are cooked.
Steps to make parathas in pictures
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- Step 1: Create eight dough balls and allow to rest
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- Step 2: Roll out and lightly spread butter
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- Step 3: Create pipe shape
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- Step 4: Create spiral
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- Step 5: Roll out spiral
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- Step 6: Cook paratha
Filling and rolling your vegan chicken kati rolls
- Lay out your parathas on the countertop and divide the filling equally between them; placing it slightly to one side.
- Sprinkle on some sliced onions, chillies and then finish with a teaspoon or two of lemon juice.
- Roll it up and keep in some foil so it remains warm while you make the others.
Make the yoghurt sauce
- Tip your plant-based yoghurt into a serving bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and coriander to a liquidiser or blender with two tablespoons of the plant-based yoghurt. Blend until the coriander is almost liquidised. Add another tablespoon of yoghurt to help the blending process if you need to. Don’t blend all the yogurt as it tends to go very runny.
- Add this into your serving bowl and mix in well with that plain yogurt. And that’s it, it’s ready!
How to serve your vegan chicken kati rolls
For a main meal, most people I know will easily eat two kati rolls – they’re not as huge as burritos tend to be. Serve with a green salad.
One vegan kati roll each will work with two sides. For example; with a salad and some vegetable rice.
How to store leftover kati rolls
Our vegan kati are best eaten fresh but they do keep reasonably well. If you have leftovers, or if you’ve made them ahead, wrap them well in kitchen foil or place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to two days.
They reheat well in a microwave in under a minute. Make sure they’re heated through but avoid over heating them as the parathas will go rubbery – if you’ve ever tried to reheat a doughnut in the microwave and left it in there for too long… You’ll know what I mean!
Vegan Chicken Kati Rolls
Equipment
- 1 large pan with lid (for cooking the filling)
- 1 tava or heavy-based frying pan (for making parathas)
- blender or liquidiser (optional to make yogurt dipping sauce)
Ingredients
To make the kati roll filling
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 200g red onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed or finely grated)
- 1 tsp ginger finely grated
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 tsp achari powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste/puree
- 175g plant-based chicken alternative
- 400g butter beans (1 can, with liquid drained)
- 250ml hot water (boiled in kettle, keep it in there until you need it)
For the parathas
- 640g atta (ideally medium atta)
- 450g cold water
- 50g plant-based butter softened
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil (to grease your tava or frying pan)
For finishing
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 1/2 red onion (finely sliced)
- 3 red or green chillies (finely sliced)
For the yoghurt sauce
- 500g plant-based yoghurt
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 50g fresh coriander
Instructions
To make the filling
- Once all your ingredients are on the countertop ready, have your kettle ready, half filled with boiled water.
- Heat the cooking oil a little and then add the finely diced onions and cook them until they become soft and caramelised (about 10 mins).
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook it for about two minutes. Keep moving it around or it will stick.
- Tip in the fresh diced tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook for a few minutes, on a medium heat, until the tomatoes break down and you have what resembles a chunky tomato sauce.
- Tip in all the powdered spices, salt and pepper and cook your masala sauce for about 10 minutes.
- Add the butter beans and chicken and mix in well. Cook for about 10 minutes.
- Add about 250mls of water from your kettle to the pan, give everything a mix, put the lid on and cook for about 25 minutes. Check frequently and add a splash of water from your kettle if there’s any sticking.
- Your kati roll filling is done when the when the water has been absorbed and the beans have broken down. There shouldn’t be any liquid.
To make the parathas
- Have your atta in a large bowl and start by adding roughly half of the 450 grams of water. Use your hands to bring the dough together before adding the remaining water. Knead and bring together in the bowl for about five minutes until you have a dough that is sticky to the touch. Create a rough doughball in the bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rest for at least an hour. I usually use this time to make the filling.
- Divide the dough into eight pieces and form tight doughballs. Place on lightly floured plate/s and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Lightly dust your work surface with atta and roll out your first dough ball into a circle that is at least 20cm. Use your fingers to lightly smother a small amount of butter all over before rolling it up to create a long sausage. Now wrap the sausage around into a spiral and pat it down. Repeat for the remaining doughballs.
- Add a teaspoon of oil to your tava or heavy-based frying pan and use a piece of kitchen towel to grease your pan. Then warm the pan on a medium heat while you re-roll your first paratha.
- Making sure your work surface is well dusted with atta, flatten the dough spiral, sprinkle it with a bit of atta and roll out to about 20cms. Pick it up and flip it between your hands to dust off any excess flour and place on the pan. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds on one side before flipping it over to cook completely on the other. Then, flip it back to finish cooking on the side you started. You should have those lovely black and brown dots and the paratha will be puffy when it’s cooked. Using a buttering knife, spread a very small amount of butter on the surface and then remove from the pan. Place the paratha on a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. Repeat until all eight parathas are cooked.
Filling and rolling your kati rolls
- Lay out your parathas on the countertop and divide the filling equally between them; placing it slightly to one side.
- Sprinkle on some sliced onions, chillies and then finish with a teaspoon or two of lemon juice.
- Roll it up and keep in some foil so it remains warm while you make the others.
To make the yoghurt sauce
- Tip your plant-based yoghurt into a serving bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and coriander to a liquidiser or blender with two tablespoons of the plant-based yoghurt. Blend until the coriander is almost liquidised. Add another tablespoon of yoghurt to help the blending process if you need to.
- Add this into your serving bowl and mix in well with that plain yogurt.
