Roti canai
A Malaysian flatbread stretched by hand until translucent, then folded and griddled into flaky, crisp-edged layers.
Photo : Miss Izzah · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Hard
Method
- Dissolve the salt and sugar in the warm water, pour it over the flour and knead for 10 minutes into a soft, very stretchy dough.
- Divide into 8 balls, coat them generously in oil and rest them in a covered dish for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- On an oiled worktop, flatten one ball then stretch it with your fingertips into an almost transparent sheet, working around the disc.
- Brush with melted margarine, then fold the edges into the centre to make a square, or roll it into a coil and press it flat.
- Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat with a little oil and cook each roti for 2 minutes per side, until blistered and golden.
- Lift the roti out and clap it between your hands to concertina it, which separates the layers.
- Serve at once with hot dhal for dipping.
The long rest is what makes the stretching possible; without it the dough will tear. A few holes in the sheet are no disaster, the folding hides everything.
