Neil Rankin on the roti, an irresistible fusion of flatbread and puff pastry

Neil Rankin professes his love for the Indian roti that falls apart as you eat it, and reveals how to make the most of its versatility

Neil Rankin (Paul Winch-Furness)

Good bread is the cornerstone of any great meal, and every food culture has its own. I love the French for their super-crusty, soft-centered baguettes and the heavy dose of butter in the Breton Kouign-amann, the Italians for the ooze of olive oil from a freshly baked pizza Bianca. But my favourite are the chewy, tandoori-baked leavened flatbreads of India, brushed with a little ghee – the enemy of my ever-increasing waistband – and a sprinkle of salt.

I've never really enjoyed rice with Indian food – it sucks the life out of a good curry. Give me a flatbread any day. The spices remain distinct and the bread soaks up the juices (which would otherwise end up on my shirt).

My education in Indian flatbreads didn't begin until I moved to Tooting in south-west London three years ago. The neighbourhood is home to many south Indians and Sri Lankans, who have filled the high street with keenly priced restaurants serving great-tasting food.

Tooting is rarely mentioned in the London food scene, which is a shame, as the food there is pound for pound some of the best in the country. And it was in Tooting that I first ate roti, an irresistible fusion of flatbread and puff pastry.

A basic roti is easy and quick to make, and versatile. Roll out a basic dough then paint on ghee or oil, before folding it a number of times and rolling it out again – just like puff pastry but less precise. When you cook it, the fat separates the layers and helps give it a lightness (for me, the best rotis are the ones that crumble as you eat them). Sprinkle some sugar between the layers to make them sweet or, as in the case of the parotta variant of the basic roti, fill with some fresh herbs, chillies, spices or cheese. But be warned: the more filling you add, the denser the product.

The following recipes show the flexibility of a good roti. There's a brunch or breakfast recipe; a more traditional chicken curry dish (perhaps the easiest curry ever); and a sweet version using nectarines, which are in season and tasting perfect right now.

Neil Rankin is co-owner of Smokehouse and Bad Egg, and food boss at London Union

Basic roti

Preparation time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 3 mins

Makes 4

160g self-raising flour

90ml water

3 pinches fine salt

120g butter, softened but not melted

I like using butter for the basic roti, because it adds a richness. But if you prefer, you can use ghee or any vegetable oil. For the best results, prepare the roti dough the day before and leave it wrapped in cling film in the fridge. They'll keep for a few days like this.

Place the flour in a bowl, add the water and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon until it just comes together and feels slightly sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 1 minute until it becomes smooth, then cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Slice into three equal portions and form each portion into a ball.One at a time, flatten the ball with your hand and roll out on a floured surface into a rough circle as thin as you can without breaking the dough. Using a pastry brush, paint on a layer of butter and roll up tightly to form a cigar shape. Coil the dough in on itself and flatten with your hand to form a circle that looks like the spiral of a snail's shell. Cover and rest again in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining two portions.

Remove from the fridge and roll out the dough once again. Repeat the buttering, rolling and coiling and flatten once again.

Rest this for at least an hour in the fridge or overnight if you have time. The longer you chill it, the easier the next stage is.

Finally, roll out to a large circle as thin as you can. The thinner the dough, the crumblier the roti. If spots of butter appear, sprinkle on a little flour and carry on.

Get a pan that's larger than the roti medium-hot on the stove and fill with a layer of oil to cover the roti. Fry till golden-brown on both sides, flipping halfway, drain on kitchen paper, then serve.

(Paul Winch-Furness)

Roti with eggs, bacon and chutney

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 35 mins

This makes a really good brunch, but is not, perhaps, the choice for anyone on a diet. The chutney is simple and I'd advise doubling or trebling the recipe and keeping some in the fridge, as it will last for weeks. Everyone fries an egg their own way – I've included my preferred method. Finally, the addition of HP Sauce might seem a bit odd, but you'd be surprised how well it goes with the roti.

Serves 4-6

4 eggs

8 rashers streaky bacon

2 large rotis

4 tbsp tomato chutney (see below)

For the chutney

2 medium-sized tomatoes

1 red onion

40ml red-wine vinegar

60g light brown sugar

1 tbsp HP sauce

For the chutney, roughly cube the tomatoes and slice the onion. Place everything in a pan and cook down on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until it's the consistency of jam. This should take about 30 minutes.

To fry the eggs, get the pan very hot and add a little oil before immediately dropping in your eggs. They should bubble, which helps to evenly cook the white, and gain colour on the base. Add some butter at the last minute and baste the top of the egg to cook any undercooked white on the top.

Fry the bacon until it's a decent brown colour, but not so much so that it's crispy and dry. Unless you like it crispy and dry.

Serve with a fresh roti and get stuck in with your hands or a knife and fork.

Curry is supposedly controversial because of its spicy nature (Paul Winch-Furness)

Roti with an easy chicken curry

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 mins

This curry was inspired by a restaurant called Roti King near Euston station in London. It is as simple as a curry comes, but don't be fooled – its thick sauce lends itself well to a good mopping up with a roti. It's great for a quick evening meal with a pre-made roti, or any bread for that matter.

Serves 3-4

4 chicken legs

2 white onions

2 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp ginger paste (bought or blitz up some fresh ginger in a blender)

2 tsp garlic paste (as with the ginger)

1 litre chicken stock (shop-bought is fine)

2 red chillies chopped fine (hot or not, your choice)

1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water

Salt, to taste

4 rotis

Small handful torn coriander

Cook the chicken legs in the oven for 45 minutes at 140C/275F/Gas1 then set aside.

Slice the onions and cook in a saucepan with a little oil until they start to turn brown. Add the garam masala and fry for a few minutes or until you get a strong aroma. Add the pastes and fry for a minute, stirring occasionally.

Next, add the stock and chillies and reduce the gravy by half, or until you like the taste. Season with salt, to taste.

Chop up the cooked chicken legs into thighs and drumsticks and add to the gravy. Bring it all to the boil and add the cornflour to thicken.

Season and serve with the rotis, some coriander, and some rice on the side if you fancy.

(Paul Winch-Furness)

Roti with condensed-milk custard, nectarines and frozen Bounty

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 0 mins

This is a take on a Thai street- food sweet roti using a few tweaks of my own. The custard here is a massive cheat in the best way. It's not really a custard at all but condensed milk thinned with a little milk and vanilla. I think it'd beat standard custard in a blind taste test any day. The result is for the sweet-toothed only.

Serves 2-4

150ml condensed milk

2 tbsp milk

1 vanilla pod, seeded, or ½ tsp vanilla paste

1 ripe nectarine, cut into wedges

2 rotis

1 small Bounty bar, frozen solid

To make the custard, thin out the condensed milk with the milk and add the vanilla. Stir and leave to one side. Place the nectarine anywhere on the freshly cooked rotis and add the custard all over so it sinks into the rotis. Thinly grate the frozen Bounty all over.

Eat, then nap.