Roti Canai

Name: Roti Canai
Prep time: 290 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 325 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk; 2 tbsp ghee (melted); 250 ml water (lukewarm, add gradually); 120 ml vegetable oil (for soaking the dough balls, stretching and cooking)

Serves 4 · 325 min · Malaysian

Ingredients

500 g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp ghee
250 ml water
120 ml vegetable oil

Method

01
Mix the dough In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar, then add the condensed milk, melted ghee and most of the water and bring it together into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
02
Knead until smooth Knead the dough on the counter for about ten minutes, until it is very smooth and springs back slowly when pressed.
03
Rest the dough Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for thirty minutes.
04
Shape oiled balls Divide the dough into eight equal pieces, roll each into a smooth ball, and place them in a tray coated generously in oil, turning each ball so it is fully covered.
05
Soak and rest Pour the remaining soaking oil over the balls, cover the tray, and leave them at room temperature for at least four hours, or overnight for the best results.
06
Stretch paper thin Oil your counter and hands, flatten one ball with your palm, then gently pull and push the edges outward until the dough is so thin you can almost see through it.
07
Fold into a square Fold the top, bottom and both sides of the thin sheet into the centre to make a square of about fifteen centimetres, trapping a little air between the layers.
08
Heat the griddle Heat a flat griddle or heavy frying pan over medium high heat and brush it with a little oil.
09
Cook the first side Place the folded roti on the griddle and cook for about two minutes, until the underside is golden with crisp brown spots.
10
Flip and finish Flip the roti, add a few drops of oil around the edges, and cook the second side for about ninety seconds until golden.
11
Fluff the layers Move the hot roti to a board and, with both hands, push the sides sharply towards the centre a few times to scrunch it and open up the flaky layers.
12
Repeat and serve Stretch, fold and cook the remaining balls the same way, and serve the roti warm with dhal or curry for dipping.

Method

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar, then add the condensed milk, melted ghee and most of the water and bring it together into a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Hold back a little of the water and add it only if the dough feels dry. A soft dough stretches much more easily than a firm one.

Knead until smooth

Knead the dough on the counter for about ten minutes, until it is very smooth and springs back slowly when pressed.

Knead until smooth · 10 min

Rest the dough

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for thirty minutes.

Rest the dough · 30 min

Shape oiled balls

Divide the dough into eight equal pieces, roll each into a smooth ball, and place them in a tray coated generously in oil, turning each ball so it is fully covered.

Soak and rest

Pour the remaining soaking oil over the balls, cover the tray, and leave them at room temperature for at least four hours, or overnight for the best results.

Do not refrigerate the balls. Cold dough tears when you stretch it, so let chilled dough come back to room temperature first.

Soak and rest · 240 min

Stretch paper thin

Oil your counter and hands, flatten one ball with your palm, then gently pull and push the edges outward until the dough is so thin you can almost see through it.

A few small holes are fine. If the dough keeps snapping back, it needs a longer rest.

Fold into a square

Fold the top, bottom and both sides of the thin sheet into the centre to make a square of about fifteen centimetres, trapping a little air between the layers.

Heat the griddle

Heat a flat griddle or heavy frying pan over medium high heat and brush it with a little oil.

The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles and disappears within a couple of seconds.

Heat the griddle · 3 min

Cook the first side

Place the folded roti on the griddle and cook for about two minutes, until the underside is golden with crisp brown spots.

Cook the first side · 2 min

Flip and finish

Flip the roti, add a few drops of oil around the edges, and cook the second side for about ninety seconds until golden.

Flip and finish · 2 min

Fluff the layers

Move the hot roti to a board and, with both hands, push the sides sharply towards the centre a few times to scrunch it and open up the flaky layers.

Do this straight away while the roti is hot. Use a folded cloth if it is too hot to handle.

Repeat and serve

Stretch, fold and cook the remaining balls the same way, and serve the roti warm with dhal or curry for dipping.

Roti Canai

Ingredients

Method

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