Frankies are the quintessential Mumbai (Bombay) street food. They are the Indian version of wraps. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients including meat, chicken, vegetables or paneer. Frankies are delicious, kid-friendly and just perfect for a snack or light meal. It’s also a great way to use any leftover chicken or vegetables. I have also included a recipe for Cilantro Chutney but feel free to use your favorite chutney or sauce as an accompaniment.

MUMBAI FRANKIES:

Ingredients

4 chapatis or rotis (or whole wheat tortillas)
1 egg beaten with a little water, add 1 tbsp of finely minced cilantro leaves
2-3 tbsp of freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 small onion, thinly sliced
2-3 small Thai green chilies, finely chopped (to taste)
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp red chili powder, to taste
1 tsp chaat masala (easily available at any Indian grocery store)
juice of ½ lime
salt & pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp oil (vegetable or canola)

FOR THE FILLING:

Vegetables: you can use an assortment of your favorite vegetables such as colorful bell peppers, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, snow peas, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, tender young green beans (haricot vert), sweet corn, peas…

Paneer: 2 cups of paneer cubes, small dice

Chicken: 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces

Shrimp: 1 lb of small size shrimp (peeled, de-veined and tail removed)

METHOD:

Vegetables:
Trim and cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces (squash, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms) or into julienne strips (carrots or bell peppers). In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the snow peas, green beans and sugar snap peas for just 1 minute. Quickly remove and drop into an ice bath. This will set their lovely green color and stop the cooking process. Drain well, pat dry and set aside until needed.

In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the vegetables in batches, adding the vegetables that take the longest to cook first. Stir fry until all the vegetables have been just slightly cooked but still crisp. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed.

Paneer:
In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the paneer cubes and toss. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed.

Chicken:
In a large wok on medium high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the chicken and toss. Stir fry for a few more minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed.

Shrimp:
In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the shrimp and toss. Stir fry for a few more minutes until the shrimp is just barely cooked. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed.

FRANKIE ASSEMBLY:

In a large skillet on medium low heat, add ½ tbsp of oil and add the chapati (or paratha or tortilla). Liberally brush the egg wash onto the chapati and flip. Let cook for a few minutes and brush the egg wash on the other side, flip again and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Remove the chapati to a clean cutting board and let cool slightly. Add a few table spoons of the filling and roll into a cigar shape. Gently reheat the filling if necessary. Repeat the process for the rest of the chapatis. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves and serve with your favorite chutneys and sauces.

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CILANTRO CHUTNEY

Yields 1 cup

Ingredients:

2 cups freshly packed cilantro leaves
2-3 small Thai green chilies, roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
juice of ½ a lime
water (if needed)
salt to taste

METHOD:

In a blender, blend all of the ingredients until smooth. You may need to add a little water to help the blending process. Refrigerate and use immediately. The chutney will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

VARIATIONS:

You can substitute mint leaves for the cilantro leaves or use a combination of both mint and cilantro. For a slightly tart taste, add a few pieces of green apple for a refreshing twist.

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