Paratha roll
{{Short description|Street food of Pakistan}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Paratha roll
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| alternate_name = {{ubl|Roll paratha|{{langx|ur|رول پراٹھا }}}}
| national_cuisine = Karachi, Pakistani
| country = Pakistan
| creator =
| course =
| type = Roll
| main_ingredient = Mutton (lamb) pieces, paratha, egg (omlette)
| served =
| variations = Many, depending on ingredients
| calories =
| other =
}}
{{Pakistani cuisine}}
{{Indian cuisine}}
Roll paratha or paratha roll (Urdu: رول پراٹھا) is a popular Pakistani street food that is similar to shawarma. Roll Paratha is a paratha, a crispy oily flatbread, rolled around meat pieces or kebab, vegetables, and sauces. While any choice of meat may be used the most popular choice of meat is chicken.
The dish originated in and is a specialty of Karachi.
Origins
The dish can be traced back to the 1970s in the city of Karachi, Pakistan when Hafiz Habib ur Rehman first created it out of necessity while serving a customer at Silver Spoon Snack, his Karachi restaurant.{{Cite web |last=Imtiaz |first=Aysha |date=19 July 2023 |title=The crispy food KFC couldn't master |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230718-why-kfc-failed-to-master-karachis-famed-paratha-rolls |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=BBC}} Normally he would serve a paratha and a kebab together on a plate with traditional sauce. However one day a customer in a hurry asked him to pack the paratha and kebab. Rehman rolled the kebab inside the paratha, wrapped it in a wax paper, and handed it over to the customer. Another customer witnessing it asked for the same parcel, and Rehman made it a regular offering.{{Cite web |last=McKee |first=Amberley |date=2023-10-23 |title=Why Were KFC's Paratha Rolls Discontinued? |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-were-kfcs-paratha-rolls-051502974.html |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Yahoo Life |language=en-US}} He developed a following for the dish by handing them out free with other orders and to passersby.
Cultural importance
For many Pakistanis a paratha roll has emotional connotations. In the Pakistani tradition parathas have been a staple item for breakfast. Pakistan is a predominantly traditional family system where women cook for the family, and paratha roll is an easy dish both to make and to serve and is commonly served in homes. Many fans of paratha roll connect the experience with the memory of their mothers' cooking at home.{{Cite web |last=Zaidi |first=Hassan Belal |date=2015-03-30 |title=Who can refuse a paratha roll? |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1172785 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Dawn |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Yasin |first=Aamir |date=2015-09-14 |title=Parathas – crispy treats for every meal |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1206829 |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Dawn |language=en}}
According to the Institute of Business Administration's Sahar Nadeem Hamid, paratha rolls are a type of fusion food.
Availability
The dish is available across Pakistan from restaurants and street vendors. It is a common street food in Karachi. The dish is also available in India, Bangladesh and parts of the USA.{{Cite web |last=Decious |first=Elijah |date=31 August 2023 |title=This new restaurant is the only Pakistani one in Iowa City |url=https://www.thegazette.com/restaurants/new-restaurant-brings-pakistani-food-to-iowa-city/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=The Gazette |language=en-US |archive-date=26 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326124744/https://www.thegazette.com/restaurants/new-restaurant-brings-pakistani-food-to-iowa-city/ |url-status=live }}
Commercial version
Variations
While beef, mutton, and lamb meat can be used, chicken is the most popular. The dish usually contains salad vegetables and a sauce such as chutney.
Similar dishes
References
{{reflist}}
{{Pakistan-stub}}
{{India-stub}}
{{Sandwiches}}
{{Street food}}
{{Cuisine of Pakistan}}
{{Indian Dishes}}
{{Cuisine of India}}