Rolex

Ugandan Rolex (Rolled Chapati with Egg, Tomato, Onion & Cabbage)

A classic Ugandan street-food snack: a thin omelette loaded with finely chopped tomato, onion and cabbage, wrapped inside a freshly fried chapati and rolled up like a wrap. Best eaten hot with extra sauce and a cup of chai.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) plain flour, all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt, for the chapati dough
• •180 ml (¾ cup) lukewarm water, adjust as needed; add 1–2 tbsp more if dough feels dry
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil, for the dough, plus more for cooking
• •4 whole large eggs
• •1 whole (1 medium) red onion, finely chopped
• •1 whole (1 medium) ripe tomato, finely chopped, seeds removed so the omelette isn't watery
• •100 g (3½ oz (about 2 cups shredded)) white cabbage, finely shredded
• •2 g (½ tsp) salt, for the filling
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground if possible
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil, per omelette, for frying
• •ketchup or hot sauce, to taste, optional, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: in a bowl mix the flour and salt. Add the 30 ml oil and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Pour in the 180 ml lukewarm water and bring together into a soft, not sticky dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth, then cover and rest 15 minutes.
2. 2 Divide the rested dough into 4 equal balls (about 135 g each). Roll each ball on a floured surface into a thin round, roughly 22 cm (9 in) across. Keep the rolled chapatis stacked with a light dusting of flour so they don't stick.
3. 3 Heat a dry heavy frying pan or flat tava over medium-high heat until hot. Lay one chapati in the pan and cook for 30–45 seconds, flip when small brown spots appear on the underside, cook the other side 30–45 seconds, then brush or drizzle a little oil over the top, flip again and cook 20–30 seconds until lightly blistered. Repeat for all 4 chapatis. Stack and keep warm covered with a clean tea towel. (Chapatis are fully cooked when both sides have golden-brown spots and no raw doughy patches remain; raw flour is not safe to eat.)
4. 4 Prepare the filling: in a bowl whisk the 4 eggs with the salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped onion, tomato and shredded cabbage. The vegetables should be finely cut so they cook through quickly in the omelette.
5. 5 Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in one quarter of the egg-and-vegetable mixture (about 65 ml / a generous ¼ cup per rolex) and tilt the pan to spread it into a thin circle, roughly the size of your chapati. Cook for 60–90 seconds until the bottom is set and lightly golden.
6. 6 Carefully lay one warm chapati on top of the partially set omelette and press down gently so it sticks. Cook together for another 30–45 seconds so the chapati reheats and the egg finishes setting. The eggs must reach a visible set texture with no liquid raw egg remaining; for food safety the omelette should be cooked until the yolk and white are firm throughout, not runny.
7. 7 Flip the whole thing (omelette-side up now) and cook 20–30 seconds more. Slide onto a plate, drizzle with ketchup or hot sauce if you like, then roll tightly into a cigar shape. Repeat with the remaining chapatis and egg mixture to make 4 rolexes. Serve immediately while hot.