Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch packet

Step 1: Bring 10 ½ oz samba or basmati rice, 2 ½ cups water and ½ tsp salt to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Rest covered.

Step 2: Simmer 5 ½ oz red lentils (masoor dal) with 1 ¾ cups water, ½ tsp ground turmeric, half the 1 onion, 2 green chillies and half the 12 curry leaves for 12–15 minutes until soft and collapsing. Stir in ¾ cup coconut milk and ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 3 minutes until thick enough to hold on a spoon.

Step 3: In a small pan heat 1 tbsp coconut oil, crackle ½ tsp black mustard seeds, fry the rest of the onion and curry leaves for 3 minutes until golden and pour over the dhal.

Step 4: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan, add 14 oz potatoes, 1 ½ tsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, ½ tsp chilli flakes and ½ tsp salt and fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat until the potatoes are coated and crusty in spots.

Step 5: For the mallung, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan, add 2 shallots and 5 ½ oz gotukola, kale or cabbage with ¼ tsp salt and toss over a high heat for 2 minutes, just until wilted and bright. Off the heat, toss with 1 ¾ oz fresh grated coconut and 1 tbsp lime juice.

Step 6: For the pol sambol, rub 1 ¾ oz fresh grated coconut with 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp lime juice until pink and moist.

Step 7: Cool everything quickly. Lay each portion of rice on a wilted banana leaf or baking paper with a spoon of each curry, the mallung and the sambol around it, fold into a parcel and keep chilled until lunch, or pack with an ice pack. Eat the same day.