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As more people travelled beyond India, they fell in awe of western food.
When these experienced travellers returned home, India became their oyster. So they decided to open new eateries and introduce the international dishes to our country; customers were elated. Now they could eat all these delicious foods from the other side of the world. You’ll see that so many fine-dining restaurants which focus on Italian, Mexican, Lebanese, Spanish and so much more have opened in India. But the foods which we eat here, and one example of that is Kathi roll, must be given the same treatment, isn’t it?
In the year 2021, the observant restauranteur knows that we might rave on and on about enjoying kathi rolls in the lanes of Kolkata or some popular alley in another state. But seeing pastas and pizzas hogging all the spotlight, it’s time to do something more about our Indian food. The sentiment is that kathi rolls have the potential to shine, so that people take notice of Indian food.
There is one reason for this passion to put kathi rolls on people’s radar. Let us tell you why.
The good old Kathi roll offers excellent value for money. Not only are people busy and stressed out, they don’t even have the time to cook. When they go out to eat, or order food in offices, the focus is mostly on keeping it light and healthy. Of course, the kathi rolls may not be the healthiest option for them as the sauces and maida rotis are too much to handle. But that doesn’t put it on the black list.
In cities such as Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore, there are good places now which only use parathas and the simple mash of vegetables and meat to prepare a kathi roll. Places like these offer simple food which adapt to local tastes and never fail to disappoint. So restauranteurs want to take inspiration from that method. Furthermore, by including lip-smacking medleys such as chettinad chicken, teekha Bengali korma or achari soya chaap, these places are giving the customers a taste of so many popular dishes in Indian food. Furthermore, unlike many places which just want to add “the Indian touch”, good restaurants are actually striving to preserve the authenticity of these meats and vegetable stuffings.
Next time, don’t hesitate to order yourself a paneer rogan josh roll which is made with all the ingredients that you would not have a problem eating, as you’ve grown up eating onions, tomatoes, paneer and coriander chutney.
Another good thing that has come out of this rising kathi roll culture is that the perception around Indian food is also changing. In a nation that loves to sit down and eat a meal, Indian food is often associated with being something that people have to dedicate a whole hour or two to eat. However, that’s not all there is to our culture, is it? There's on-the-go food too. But it is all mostly labelled as street food.
Ask people who live frantic lives in Delhi or Gurgaon about all the street food which we love; most of it is eaten while we stand, and that is not unsophisticated or uncivil. It’s rather a beautiful part of our culture, which has to be appreciated.
It’s nice to see the rising culture of eating kathi rolls in my city. Catering to so many tastebuds, kathi rolls are being offered by so many delivery kitchens or restaurants that sell on-the-go food. My favourite place is Roll Sholl. But I know that there are other options such as Faasos, RollsKing, Rolls Mania and so on that are paying homage to the humble kathi roll. When people are hungry and all they want to do is eat but don’t have the time, kathi rolls can be the best option.
Do you know of any other places?
