Kottu Roti

Method

1. Cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces and toss with the curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder and part of the salt. Thinly slice the onion and leek, cut the carrot into fine matchsticks and finely shred the cabbage. Chop the garlic and ginger and slice the chillies on the diagonal. Stack the roti, roll them up and cut into 1 cm strips.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 200 gCurry powder (ideally Sri Lankan roasted curry powder) 1 tspGround turmeric ¼ tspChilli powder ½ tspSalt ¼ tsp

2. Heat part of the oil in a 18 cm pot over medium heat and fry half the curry leaves, half the garlic and the ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook for 6 min until white all over, then add the water, turn down to low heat and simmer for 12 min. When the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced to a rich curry gravy, lift out the chicken, chop it small and keep the gravy aside.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1¼ tbspCurry leaves 5Garlic cloves 1½Fresh ginger 8 gWater 150 ml

   medium heat→low heat

3. Heat the rest of the oil in a 30 cm wok or wide pan over medium-high heat and stir-fry the onion, the remaining garlic, the chillies and the rest of the curry leaves for 2 min, until the onion edges turn translucent. Curry leaves spit when they hit the oil, so stand back.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1¾ tbspOnion (medium) 1Garlic cloves 1½Hot green chillies 2Curry leaves 5

   medium-high heat

4. Turn up to high heat, add the leek, carrot, cabbage, the rest of the salt and the pepper and stir-fry for 3 min. The vegetables should just wilt but stay crunchy.

   Add in this stepLeek (mostly the white part) 80 gCarrot 80 gCabbage 100 gSalt ½ tspGround black pepper ½ tsp

   high heat

5. Push the vegetables to one side, crack the eggs into the space and scramble over medium-high heat for 1 min until softly half-set.

   Add in this stepEggs 2

   medium-high heat

6. Add the roti strips and the chicken and, ladling in the curry gravy as you go, chop and toss everything with two metal spatulas over medium-high heat for 4 min. It is done when the roti is moist with gravy and a little crisp at the edges. Keep a little gravy back.

   Add in this stepGodamba roti or frozen parathas, cooked 4

   medium-high heat

7. Taste for salt, scatter over the sliced spring onions and serve with the remaining curry gravy in a small bowl on the side.

   Add in this stepSpring onions 2