Paneer marinated with saffron, yogurt, and everyday spices, pan-seared until lightly charred, then rolled into a warm paratha with onions and chutney. A quick weeknight meal that puts saffron somewhere other than a dessert or drink — it holds up well against the spice here rather than getting lost.
Saffron shows up in plenty of rich, formal dishes — biryani, korma, festive sweets — but it works just as well in something quick and casual like this. The saffron here plays a background role next to the chili and garam masala, mostly contributing colour and a faint aromatic lift rather than being the headline flavour, which is honestly how it's used in a lot of everyday Kashmiri cooking too.
Ingredients
- 250g paneer, cut into strips
- 4-5 strands Kashmiri Mongra saffron
- 2 tablespoons warm milk
- 1/2 cup thick yogurt
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 parathas or flatbreads
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Mint-coriander chutney, to serve
Instructions
- Warm the milk and soak the saffron strands for about 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, garam masala, lemon juice, salt, and the saffron milk into a marinade.
- Add the paneer strips, coating them thoroughly, and let them marinate for at least 20 minutes — longer (up to a few hours, refrigerated) gives more flavour.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the marinated paneer for 5-7 minutes, turning gently so it doesn't break apart, until lightly charred at the edges.
- Warm the parathas on a dry pan or tawa.
- Lay a paratha flat, spread a little chutney across the middle, add the cooked paneer and sliced onions, then roll tightly.
- Serve warm, wrapped in foil or paper to hold the shape while eating.
Tips for Best Results
Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the paneer — do it in batches if needed, since crowding steams the paneer instead of giving it the light char that makes this dish work. Marinating longer than the minimum 20 minutes (up to overnight, refrigerated) noticeably improves the flavour if you have the time.
Serving Suggestions
Serve immediately, wrapped, alongside a simple onion salad or a wedge of lemon on the side. If you're feeding a group, set out the cooked paneer, warm parathas, onions, and chutney separately and let everyone assemble their own roll — it stays fresher that way than pre-rolling everything in advance.
Storage
The marinated, uncooked paneer keeps refrigerated for up to 2 days. Once assembled, kathi rolls are best eaten fresh — the paratha turns soggy if the roll sits too long before eating.
