FOOD SPECIAL...Wrap It Up

Wrap It Up 

It can be wholesome or gourmet; let your culinary creativity flow while making that wrap at home

Looking for a wholesome snack? Or even on-the-go lunch or dinner? Try making yourself a wrap. Unlike a sandwich, or even a burger, that is equally (or more) about the bread and the filling, a wrap is about what lies inside. That is why it makes so much more sense for those complaining about the lack of good bread easily and cheaply available, to try their hand at one. Of course, we have robust local traditions as well — the likes of kathi, tikka or Kolkata-style “rolls” (wraps and rolls inevitably go hand-in-hand and not merely because they roll off the tongue so easily!) — to seek inspiration from. And who hasn’t had picnic, or train, lunches of potato bhaji rolled up in paranthas? But a wrap can be so much more versatile. Only if you let it be.
    But first that small matter of covering. Flatbread used to make any wrap is hardly a problem in India. Every house has its freshly-made versions of rotis or paranthas. And almost every hole-in-the-wall street eatery has those ubiquitous roomalis that can be bought sans much expense or bother. But equally available in the supermarkets today are tortillas and pita. Not to mention spring roll or rice paper sheets, all of which can make for excellent wraps.
Fulfilling
It is really the filling that can be as exciting as you please. This is where you can improvise and experiment, turning what can be a modest, humble meal into a gourmet delight, fit to be even served up as finger food for a party. My belief is that what distinguishes a good wrap from cardboard is the textural difference between each of the ingredients and at least one surprise element at the core that wows your palate as you cut through the layers. That is why your filling or patty should necessarily be accompanied by enough crunch greens or veggies and you can then play around with any flavours to bring about that oomph — from a little sting of wasabi at the centre to that burst of freshness that lime leaves can provide to any meat or salad.
    Chef Manish Mehrotra, undoubtedly a whizz at creating combinations of surprising, flamboyant flavours, recently put together a small wrap and roll menu at Oriental Octopus, the mid-market chain of Asian diners. I sat with him deconstructing almost the entire menu and picked out a few handy tips for what can be done at home easily.
    One of the savouries that he put up was a tofu roll. Like paneer, tofu, is hardly any gourmet’s preferred ingredient. But it is easily available in retail and the most common substitute for meat that a lazy host can think of. You can rev up your tofu wrap, using the following: mash the tofu and squeeze out the water, add some thick coconut cream, chopped coriander root, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves. Make a patty out of this. Separately, reduce some Thai sweet chilli sauce (that you can get out of a bottle), and spread it out thin with the back of a spoon on to a flat surface. It will dry and harden. Cut off a little piece and fill this inside the tofu patty. Dust the patty in corn flour or tempura flour (also easily available) and deep fry. The heat will now melt the sweet chilli sauce, giving you that surprise edge when you bite into the patty. Bung in some fresh greens with some more Thai herbs like kaffir lime leaves for freshness and texture, a dash of soy sauce, and put it inside a wrap!
Wrap Recipe
Similarly, a chicken mince patty, enclosing any crunchy blanched veggie like carrot batons, asparagus et al, can be put in a wrap. But one of the problems I find with a wrap is its folding. Foil, commonly used by all of us, looks tacky and certainly no gourmet wrap should display that. Manish told me a nice trick to make a more sophisticated, party-smart offering. Buy a nori sheet that sticks with water. And cut it into a thin strip. Now use it like a ribbon to encircle and close your wrap. This is something that I am going to try at home for sure.
    Pita pockets are convenient for stuffing as well. Falafel is easy to make as is hummus (the dip you can use to line the pocket). But you can also try an indigenous street snack from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as a fritter-like filling. We do it quite often at home. And it works well. Mangore are close relatives of moong dal pakoris but with stronger flavour. Soak and coarsely grind moong dal. Then make a batter with boiled potatoes, onions, and pounded dry coriander seeds (you'll be surprised at the strong flavour). Season and deep fry. These are good with fresh green chutney as a snack. Or fill your pita pockets with these and use any combination of chutney/ chaat masala/ hummus that you prefer.
    For healthier offerings, you can roast chicken and grill bits of fish or veggies, make a fresh salad with mustard, honey mustard, or whichever dressing you please and wrap these up. It’s really your imagination that counts.
HOME RUN
If you really want to attempt a chicken (or paneer) tikka-style wrap at home, sans the tandoor, here is how to do it: The trick is in the marinade. Make a marinade of thick yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, some aromatic garam masala, a dash of oil, some besan as also some shredded cheese (or you can add cream to lend softness to the meat). Marinate in this mix and grill in a home oven. You will not get the charred charcoal flavour, but, hey, it's homemade. Line the wrap with crunchy salad and piquant chutneys and it's good to eat.

:: Anoothi Vishal , a Delhi-based food writer & curates food festivals SET12092