Kottu Roti

Method

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1. Cut the roti into strips with scissors and set them aside. Day-old roti is better than fresh — it holds its shape.

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2. Heat a large flat griddle or the widest pan you own over high heat with the coconut oil.

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3. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and curry leaves for 2 minutes.

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4. Add the leek, carrot and pepper and stir fry 3 minutes — they should stay crisp.

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5. Push everything to one side, pour the beaten eggs onto the clear space and scramble them roughly.

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6. Add the chicken, curry powder, chilli powder and salt, and toss for 1 minute.

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7. Add the roti strips and the soy sauce.

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8. Now chop everything together on the griddle with two flat metal spatulas or a pair of heavy knives, in a steady rhythm, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the roti is in small pieces and everything is combined and searing.

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9. Pour the curry gravy around the edges of the pile and toss it through for 30 seconds only.

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10. Serve immediately with coriander and lime.

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Chef’s Tips

• Chop it on the heat, not on a board. The searing as you cut is the point.
• Gravy last, and only a splash. Too much and it turns to porridge.
• Day-old roti. Fresh roti tears into mush.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Extra curry gravy on the side
• A cold beer
• Lime wedges

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately. Refrigerate up to 2 days and refry hard in a dry pan.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.