Getting creative with wraps

Wraps and rolls are new entries in the world of Indian cuisine. Though there are many stories, the most popularly adopted one is the origin of kathi roll. The “Nizam Restaurant”, in the City of Joy in erstwhile Calcutta, started this as a solution for various reasons. The British would not touch the kababs with hands, so the Nizam’s thought of rolling them up. And the office-goers wanted something they could carry easily, and Voila! the kathi roll was born. And the folklore of this delicious and tempting food continues. 

Wraps have satiated the palates of the older generation and the present GenX. From the leftovers to an array of fresh ingredients, wraps are a huge boon to many home cooks, busy moms and amateurs. A handy solution to people who are constantly racking their brain to come up with something healthy and tasty to devour. 

Recipes for Sweet Wraps and Rolls 

Pear and Coconut Wrap

Cook time: 30 mins  

Serve: 4 

Type: Dessert 

Ingredients for filling: 

Pear: 4 

Fresh coconut: 1 cup scrapped + 1/3 cup for assembling 

Cinnamon powder: ½ tsp 

Chopped almonds and raisins: ¼ cup 

Brown sugar: ¾ cup 

All-purpose flour: ¾ cup 

Oats: ¼ cup 

Butter: 4-5 tbsp, chilled 

Ingredients for wrap: 

All-purpose flour: 2 cups 

Whole wheat flour: ½ cup 

Salt: a pinch 

Method: 

1. Wash and cut the pears in wedges.  2.
2. Take a bowl and mix ½ cup coconut, cinnamon powder, almonds and raisins and ½ cup brown sugar. 3.
3. Once mixed toss in the wedges of pears. Do ensure to coat the pears well with the mixture. 4.
4. Take another bowl and add all-purpose flour and butter. Rub them till they resemble bread crumbs. Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and oats into it and mix well. 5.
5. Preheat oven at 180℃.6.
6. Take an ovenproof dish and place the pear wedges neatly in it. Cover the pears with all the leftover coatings too. 7.
7. On top of the fruit sprinkle the flour mix and bake it for 15-18 mins. After baking, leave it to cool. 8.
8. To make the covering for the roll, take a bowl and mix in the 2 flours and salt and add chilled water and make a dough. Rest it for 20 mins.  9.
9. Roll out thin chapattis and cook them on the girdle with some butter. 10.
10. To assemble: Take a chapatti and sprinkle some fresh coconut. Scoop out the pear and coconut bake along with the crispy topping and put it in the centre. Wrap this up tightly. You can place the roll on a hot girdle to warm it up before serving. 

 

Sweet Rice Flour Rolls

Cook time: 30 mins  

Serve: 4  

Type: Dessert 

Ingredients for roll: 

Rice flour: 2 cups 

Water: 2 cups 

Salt: a pinch 

Ghee: 2 tsp

Ingredients for filling: 

Scrapped coconut: 2 cups 

Jaggery: 1 cup 

Cardamom powder: 1 tsp 

Chopped nuts: ¼ cup 

Ghee: 1 tbsp 

Method: 

1. For the roll: boil water in a kadhai with a pinch of salt. When the water boils add in the rice flour and keep stirring till there are no lumps and the flour has absorbed all the water. Take it off the heat and let it cool slightly. Grease your palms and knead it well as you would knead a chapatti dough.  2.
2. For the filling: Heat a pan and put ghee. When the ghee is warm add the rest of the ingredients. Jaggery would start to melt and the filling would turn runny. Lower the flame and keep stirring/mixing until the mixture comes together into a single mass. This takes time, so be patient and keep stirring and working on your muscles on a low flame. Cool this mixture and roll out miniature logs of about 4-6 inches. 3.
3. For assembling: Roll out a small ball of the rice dough into a chapatti. Warm up a greased flat pan on medium heat. Cook the chapattis on the greased pan. You can add more ghee if you like. Once done take it off the pan and place a coconut log in the centre and roll it up tightly. 4.
4. Serve hot. You can wrap them up in aluminium foil individually for a picnic dessert. 

  

Recipes for Savoury Wraps and Rolls

Mushroom and spinach noodle wrap

Cook time: 30 mins 

Serve: 4 

Type: Main course 

Ingredients for wrap: 

All-purpose flour: 2 cups 

Whole wheat flour: ½ cup 

Salt: 1 tsp 

Oil: 2 tbsp 

Ingredients for filling: 

Spinach noodles: 200 grams 

Mushrooms: 300 grams, sliced 

Olive oil: 1 tbsp 

Onion: 1, thinly sliced 

Garlic: 2-3, finely chopped 

Spring onion: 100 grams, finely chopped 

Cream cheese: 200 grams 

Barbeque sauce: 20 grams 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Method: 

1. To make the wrap: Combine the flours, salt and oil. Add enough water to knead into a smooth dough. Let it rest for 15-20 mins. Divide the dough into small equal balls and roll out thin chapattis. Cook them without oil/any grease. Take them off the heat and let them cool. 2.
2. To make the filling: Boil the noodles in water, a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Drain and cool them. Take a pan and heat olive oil. Sauté the onions and once they caramelize, add in the mushrooms and garlic. Season them well with salt and pepper. When the mushrooms have cooked well, toss in the noodles and coat it well with the veggies and the oil. If you feel the dish is dry, you can drizzle in some more olive oil. Take the noodles off the heat and let them cool for 10-12 mins. Once cooled add 150 grams of cream cheese into the noodles and ensure each strand is well coated. 3.
3. To make a sauce/spread: Mix up the remaining cream cheese, barbeque sauce and some pepper powder. 4.
4. To assemble: Heat up a girdle and cook the roti with some oil on both sides. Place it on a flat surface and spread the sauce on it evenly. Place the noodle with mushrooms on it in the centre. Sprinkle some spring onions and wrap it up tightly. 5.
5. Enjoy it when it is still hot.   

 (Tip: You can even use readymade tortilla wraps for the roll.) 

Chickpea Croquettes  Roll

Cook time: 50 mins + soaking time 

Serve: 6 

Type: Main Course 

Ingredients: 

Tortillas: 1 pack 

Black chickpea: 1 cup 

Potato: 2, boiled and mashed 

Onion: 2, finely chopped 

Green chilli: 2, finely chopped 

Ginger: 1 inch, grated 

Coriander leaves: a bunch, finely chopped 

Dry mango powder: 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder: ½ tsp 

Roasted cumin powder: 1 tsp 

Coriander powder: ½ tsp 

Breadcrumbs: ½- 3/4 cup 

Rock Salt: to taste 

Oil to shallow fry 

Ingredients for the sauce: 

Hung curd: ½ cup 

Peanuts: 3 tbsp, roasted, skin removed and pounded coarsely 

Mint mayonnaise: 2 tbsp 

Few coriander leaves 

Ingredients for assembling: 

Onion: 2, thinly sliced 

Rock salt: 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder: ½ tsp 

Lemon juice/ red wine vinegar: 1 tbsp 

Chat masala: to taste 

Method: 

1. To make the croquettes: Soak the black chickpeas for 6-8 hours. Boil them well in a pressure cooker with 1 onion that is finely chopped. Once well-cooked take it out in a wide plate and mash well. Add the potato, 1 onion, green chilli, ginger and coriander leaves. Mix them well. You can now add the spice powders like dry mango powder, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and coriander powder. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add ½ cup breadcrumbs and mix well. If the croquettes are not binding well add some more breadcrumbs. Divide them into small portions and shape them as croquettes. You can shallow fry or deep fry them. 2.
2. To make the sauce: Whip together hung curd and mint mayonnaise. Add in chopped coriander leaves and crushed peanuts and give it a whisk again. 3.
3. In a bowl take the onions that are sliced for assembling. Mix the rest of the ingredients with the onion slices. 4.
4. To assemble: Take a tortilla and warm it up on a girdle. Spread the sauce evenly and place a croquette in the centre. Place few slices of onions and sprinkle chat masala on top. Wrap it up tightly and serve warm.  

Chicken And Egg Roll

Cook time: 30 mins 

Serve: 6 

Type: Main Course 

Ingredients: 

CP Easy Snack Crispy Chicken Popcorn: 400g 

Hard-boiled egg: 12 nos.  

Tortilla Wraps: 6 

Cucumbers: 2 

Onions: 2  

Spicy chipotle mayonnaise: ½ cup 

Barbeque sauce: 3 tbsp  

Mustard sauce: 1 tbsp 

Method: 

1. Fry the chicken popcorn as directed on the packet.  2.
2. Cut the hard-boiled eggs longitudinally in half. 3.
3. Cut the cucumbers in medium-sized strips. Thinly slice the onions too. 4.
4. In a bowl, mix in the mayonnaise, barbeque sauce and mustard sauce. 5.
5. Heat a girdle and warm up the tortillas. Spread the mayonnaise and arrange the chicken popcorns on it. Place the halves of hard-boiled eggs. Now add a bit of freshness and crunch with the cucumbers and onions. You can check the seasoning before rolling it up. 6.
6. Tightly roll up the tortilla and enjoy this with your weekend binge of net series. 

Don on your creative cap to wrap up a lip-smacking dinner. You can relive your childhood to come up with some classic rolls or experiment. A simple potato fry inside a leftover paratha is an equally inviting roll as a tandoori chicken one. Go the way your palate tickles and enjoy a nutritious and appetizing wrap and roll!!!