Kebab Rolls are a traditional street food popular in India and Pakistan.
Beef Kebab Rolls are a delicious grab-and-go snack, eaten year-round, especially during the festive month of Ramadan.
Our quick & easy homemade Kebab Roll recipe features juicy beef kebabs wrapped in flaky paratha flatbread and stuffed with sliced red onion, tomatoes and drizzled with spicy chutney.
It’s the perfect cutlery-free dish to serve at summer barbecues and fun family celebrations.
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What Are Kebab Rolls?
Kebab, kabob or kabab is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East.
Many variants of the category are popular around the world, including the skewered shish kebab and the doner kebab.
Kebabs consist of cut up or ground meat, sometimes with vegetables and various other accompaniments likes herbs and spices. Although kebabs are typically cooked on a skewer over a fire, some kebab dishes are oven-baked or seared in a hot skillet over a stove. The traditional meat for kebabs is often lamb, but regional recipes may include beef, goat, chicken, fish, or pork.
Modern-day kebabs in India mostly trace their origin to the influence of Mughlai cuisine. Some Indian kebabs have very specific geographic attributions, such as Kakori Kebab, which is made of finely ground, soft mince and attributed to the city of Kakori in Uttar Pradesh, where legend has it that it was first prepared for old and toothless pilgrims.
Kebab Rolls are served throughout India as a tasty wrap, allowing vendors to serve sizzling barbecued kebabs inside flatbread so it is easy to eat on the street without the need for a plate or cutlery.
You May Also Enjoy These Kebab Recipes…
- Grilled Joojeh Kabab Persian Saffron Chicken Kebab
- BBQ Beef Kafta Afghan Kebab
- BBQ Tavuk Sis Turkish Chicken Kebab
- Vegetarian Indian Grilled BBQ Paneer Kebabs
- Moo Ping BBQ Grilled Thai Pork Skewers
Travel to India by Cooking Spicy Kebab Rolls at Home
I love traveling through Asia.
My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, The Maldives and India.
I spent over a month traveling through India. I started in the capital, eating my way through the bustling markets and fine dining restaurants in Delhi. I then embarked on a magical weekend getaway to the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal in Agra. In India’s north you’ll find plenty of barbecue, Kebab Rolls and wheat based side dishes like scorched naan bread.
For the second half of my Indian adventure I explored the southern state of Kerala. The south is famous for its seafood, coconut, tropical fruits, and rice based side dishes like crispy dosa. The colonial capital of Cochin was formerly run by the Portuguese. It’s also one of the only places in India you can find beef on a menu.
After enjoying a jaunt to the Maldives my India trip came to a close in the Bollywood capital, bustling and cosmopolitan Mumbai. The city is famous for its specialty street foods and fine dining restaurants at opulent luxury hotels. The Taj Mahal Palace in particular serves one of the world’s most famous Afternoon Teas.
What I found most fascinating is India’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each city in India had its own local speciality.
After you’ve traveled to India, return home to prepare an authentic and fragrant feast for friends and family featuring this flavourful Kebab Roll recipe.
Where To Eat Indian Kebab Rolls
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to local Indian restaurants that serve traditional Kebab Rolls.
Haven’t traveled to India before? It may be helpful to first sample a Kebab Roll at a local restaurant to better understand how the snack is served. You can assess the prefered ground meat you’d like to use, ideal toppings to stuff inside the paratha and other complimentary dishes to serve at the table.
In Toronto, popular Indian restaurants that may serve Beef Kebab Rolls include Udupi Palace, Lahore Tikka House and Kothur Indian Cuisine.
My Family Loves Kebab Rolls
I’ll never forget my first experience tasting a juicy and spicy Kebab Roll.
It was my last day in Mumbai so was excited to scour the city for it’s best street food snacks.
My local culinary tour guide took me to sample his favourite Kebab Roll vendor and I quickly gobbled up the savoury snack. He then took me to a hip and trendy street food-inspired restaurant called Colaba Social, which served its own unique take on the classic street food.
After traveling throughout India and eating at some of the world’s best Indian restaurants I was excited to share my love for flavour-packed Kebab Rolls with family in Toronto.
I’ve hosted many Indian-themed feasts, showcasing dishes from Delhi to Bengal via fragrant curries, fresh salads and hearty soups.
When I finally introduced my parents to Kebab Rolls their eyes bulged with glee. I knew they’d both enjoy the dish because they love recipes made of ground beef, flaky flatbread and sweet tamarind chutney.
If you’ve traveled to India on holiday there is no better way to share your adventure at home with family and friends at home then by serving our homemade Kebab Rolls recipe!
Health Benefits
Our Kebab Rolls recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, lemons help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Beef is a great source of protein and minerals like iron as well as an excellent source of the amino acid L-caine. Beef also features antioxidant glutathione known for its anti-aging benefits.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Recipe Cooking Tips
If it’s your first time cooking a homemade Kebab Roll recipe be sure to review our detailed step-by-step recipe below. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you started.
- Use a large nonstick skillet to cook the kebabs so the beef doesn’t stick to the pan.
- If you like spicy food scrape the chili seeds into the kebab mixture. If you can’t handle the heat discard the seeds.
- We’ve used lemon juice in this recipe but you can substitute with freshly squeezed lime juice.
- We’ve used ground beef but you can substitute with other minced meats like chicken, turkey, veal or lamb.
- You can purchase paratha flatbread in the freezer aisle of most grocery stores or Indian supermarkets or make homemade paratha.
- If you can’t find paratha you can substitute with other flat bread like naan or chapati.
- Serve kebab rolls on their own as an on-the-go snack, light lunch or an appetizer at an Indian-themed dinner party.
What To Serve with Beef Kebab Rolls
Kebab Rolls are one of our favourite quick and easy Indian street food snacks to make at home.
The quick and easy recipe can be served as an on-the-go snack, light lunch all on its own or as a side dish or appetizer at dinner.
If you’re hosting an Indian-themed potluck or buffet you may also like serving this Kebab Roll recipe with other popular South Asian dishes:
- Vegan Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Vegan One Pot Indian Thakkali Tomato Biryani
- Chanachur Chivda Bombay Mixture Namkeen
- Parippu Vada Recipe With Coconut Chutney
- Tomato Chutney For Dosa
- Pitod Ki Sabji Vegetarian Indian Chickpea Dumplings
- Vegetarian Malai Kofta
- Chingri Malai Curry Bengali Coconut Prawns
- Pepper Milagu Rasam Vegan South Indian Soup
- Creamy Vegetarian Indian Paneer Soup
- Chicken Manchow Soup Recipe
- Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake
- Indian Onion Salad
- Chicken Shahi Korma
- Vegetarian Shahi Paneer
- Indian Pudla Crepes
You May Also Enjoy These Beef Recipes…
- Filipino Beef & Pork Meatloaf Embutido
- Kuru Fasulye Turkish Beans With Beef
- Tender Kerala Style Ularthiyathu Beef Fry
- Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger
- Traditional Tagliatelle alla Bolognese Pasta
- One Pot Lebanese Beef Hashweh Rice
- Bo Luc Lac Shaking Vietnamese Beef Stir Fry
- Japanese Beef Yaki Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Smoky Albondigas Tapas Spanish Meatballs
- Korean Beef Bulgogi Noodles
- Lebanese Spiced Minced Beef Stuffed Pita Arayes
- Maccheroni al Ferretto Pasta with Beef Ragu
- Brandy Caramelized Onion French Burger
How To Make Spicy Indian Kebab Rolls
Beef Kebab Rolls
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- French knife
- Skillet
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Ginger minced
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
- 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Canola Oil
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 Medium Red Onion finely chopped
- 1 Egg beaten
- 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
Assembly
- 8 Parathas
- 1 tbsp Cilantro Chutney
- 1 tbsp Tamarind Chutney
- 1/2 Medium Red Onion thinly sliced
- 2 Roma Tomatoes chopped
Instructions
- Add the garlic, ginger, salt, cilantro, chiles, lemon juice, and oil to a food processor or mortar and pestle and blitz to make an aromatic paste. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the ground beef, diced onion, egg, bread crumbs, garam masala. Add the cilantro paste and mix using your hands or a rubber spatula until well combined and homogeneous, but no need to work it further.
- To form the kebabas, divide the mince into 8 equal portions, about 3 tbsp of minced beef for each kebab. Roll each portion into the shape of a sausage, about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
- In a large frying pan with a lid over a high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low and shallow-fry in batches, partially covered for 10 minutes, or until all the moisture dries up and the kebabs are cooked through. Turn the kebabs frequently until all sides are browned and cooked.
- Warm paranthas in a hot skillet for 30 seconds on each side.
- To assembly, put 1 kebab in the middle of each paratha, then pour over chutney and tamarind sauce. Top with onion slices and tomato then roll up and enjoy. Serve 2 kebab rolls per person for a meal or one for a snack.
Nutrition
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