Reshmi Chicken Kebab Rolls
I have had the few best foods of my life on the streets of Delhi. Almost all the markets of Delhi are a bustling potpourri of hot steaming food,cooked to perfection infront of your eyes.Bolied Eggs, Steamed Momos [dumplings],chaat,chowmein & manchurian,deep fried stuffed flatbreads, egg rolls to name a few.I do not remember a single weekend when we did not throng to neighbourhood streets to enjoy the dinner standing in front of the food stalls. Piping hot tikkasand steaming boiled eggs tastes all the more yum on cold wintery nights.It was an escape for mom from the kitchen and for dad who used to be bored with eating the sophisticated and low-calorie cuisines of hotels while on tour whole of the week. Whats your favorite street food?
It was such a routine in my house that when were not able to go out because we had exams or someone was tired, mom used to whip up similar meal at homes or got us a takeout.It was fun unwrapping dirt cheap food beneath layers of aluminium foil.At that time we never cared about cleanliness or hygiene,it was the sheer joy of eating outside food,not the regular home cooked meal that was the prime thing of enjoyment.
Even today I would choose street food over food at any high-flying restaurants unless there is an occassion.There are hardly any place of proper street food in Vegas but I did get a unadulterated feel of street food on my last trip to NYC. Tasty, filling food for few dollars -what better do you want in life?Anyways, chicken rolls are my to-go food.I make them on the lazy days, for a take along while on a road trip or even I like to carry them wrapped in foil for a quick brunch.More often than not they have played my saviour from the most annoying thing for me on the earth-”surprise” guests.They are easy to put together and look decent and far better than a take out when you are not in mood to slog out in the kitchen for someone who just spoiled your shopping plan 
Though I make a lot of varieties of them, the one I m sharing in this post are really my signature rolls in the house.Everyone in my family loves this variety of rolls made by me including P. Yes, I am not that modest at times.I made them for brunch on Sunday. “Reshmi” translates to silken in english.The texture of these kebabsis almost silk smooth with the almond and cream paste that goes into them.The list of ingredients may look long but these are really easy to put together.You can serve them all on own as an appetizer or in wraps.Below goes the recipe:
Ingredients [Makes 6 kebabs]
1/4 cup raw almonds
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 Thai green chillies
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Salt to taste
Spice Mix [Dry Roast the below spices and coarsely grind them to about]
3 dry red chillies [adjust to taste]1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
For the Rolls :
6 medium size tortilla1 cup assorted vegetables-I used onions,green peppers & carrots [You can saute the vegetables in 1 tsp of oil and season them with salt and black pepper if you want]
1 lemon
Mint & Coriander Chutney [recipe included]
How I did it:
For the kebabs: In a bowl, tip in the almonds with enough water to soak them and micro on high for 2 minutes.Once cooled, peel off the skin and grind them with cream and green chillies to a smooth and thick paste.Mix this paste along with 2 tbsp of spice mix and rest of the ingredients with the minced chicken.Skew the chicken mix on bamboo or metal skewers and refrigerate these kebabs for atleast 30 minutes. [If you want u can add an egg for added moisture and binding].My chicken mince already looked fatty.
To Cook the Kebabs: You can grill the skewered kebabs.I cook them in a pan with 2 tbsp of oil, flipping them sideways to cook on all sides.Once cooked set aside.
For the Mint & Cilantro [green]Chutney: In a blender, tip in 1 cup of cilantro with 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, 2 Thai green chillies, 1 fat garlic clove [optional],salt to taste and blend to a smooth paste. Mix in 2 tbsp of plain sour yogurt or lemon juice for added punch.
Assembling the Rolls: Take a tortilla and warm it on a skillet for 2 minutes.Spread the green chutney on the tortilla.Put the chicken kebab on it along with vegetable julians .Squirt some fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and roll up.Serve with Ketchup and Green Chutney.
Notes:
The same marination can be used for making reshmi tikkas with chicken cubes instead of kebabs.You can make egg rolls from my previous post and stuff them with these reshmi kebabs instead as a variation.
Enjoy!
Sending this to Hearth n Soul #33
