Chicken Roti — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender curried chicken wrapped in a buttery, flaky dhalpuri roti (stuffed with ground split peas). The roti tears perfectly to scoop up every drop of rich curry.

Ingredients

For dhal puri roti: 3 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 cup warm water, 1 cup yellow split peas (cooked and ground), 1 tsp cumin, oil for cooking
For chicken curry: 1kg chicken pieces, 3 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 large onion (diced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 large potatoes (cubed), 1 scotch bonnet pepper, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, salt to taste
Pepper sauce for serving

Instructions

1 Boil the yellow split peas in salted water until very soft, about twenty minutes. Drain completely and grind them using a food processor or mortar into a dry, coarse powder. Season with cumin and salt, then set aside to cool as the dhal puri filling.
2 Prepare the roti dough by combining the flour, baking powder, salt, and oil in a large bowl. Gradually add warm water and knead for five minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for thirty minutes.
3 Divide the dough into equal balls about the size of a tennis ball. Flatten each ball into a six-inch circle, place two tablespoons of the split pea filling in the centre, then gather the edges together and seal. Roll out again gently into a flat round disc.
4 Cook each filled roti on a hot tawa or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for two to three minutes per side, brushing lightly with oil. The roti should puff slightly and develop golden brown spots. Clap the cooked roti between your palms to separate the layers.
5 For the curry, heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, curry powder mixed with a splash of water, and cumin. Sauté for three minutes until the curry paste is fragrant and the raw flour smell has cooked out completely.
6 Add the chicken pieces to the curry base and stir to coat thoroughly. Brown the chicken for five minutes, then add the cubed potatoes, whole scotch bonnet, and enough water to cover. Simmer covered for thirty minutes until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender.
7 Remove the scotch bonnet pepper from the curry. Place a warm roti flat on a plate, spoon the chicken curry generously into the centre, then fold the roti around the curry to form a wrap. Serve immediately with pepper sauce on the side.