Roti Canai - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Or A Snack In Between

Malaysians would eat this at anytime of the day; as a meal, as a snack, with curries, dip in sugar or condensed milk. It has gained popularity in Australia in recent years, not from Malaysian restaurants but ironically from Thai restaurants since it is on every Thai restaurant's menu (it is possible to get this in Thailand especially the Muslim south but it is served more as a sweet treat). Most supermarkets have roti canai on their shelves these days but are often overpriced and rather doughy for my liking. Since we have just launched our "Muhibbah Malaysian Monday blog event", it is only fitting to share with you the Mamak stall quality roti canai and claim this back as ours! This will hardly cost you anything and it is dead easy. Also I urge you to throw out all the roti canai recipes that asked for condensed milk, egg or sugar right now.

P.S This is known as roti prata in Singapore. For the origin of the name; it is possible that the word canai derived from Chennai since most Indians migrated to Malaysia via the port city of Chennai (Mumbai). What do you think?

makes 6
you'll need;
500 g of plain flour
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of ghee (clarified butter) or cooking oil*
1/2 cup of water
* Please do not use ghee if you are making this in the middle of winter.

If you are making the clarified butter - place butter in a microwave safe jug and nuke it in the microwave oven for a minute. Pour the clear liquid out leaving the white cloudy bits behind.

Sieve flour and salt into a large bowl.

Pour cool clarified butter into the bowl with the flour and slowly mix in the water.

Knead dough til it is of smooth, medium consistency. Leave aside at a warm place for 2 to 3 hours to soften.

Divide dough into 6 equal parts and form portion into a ball. You can leave them covered til they are needed.

Roll out the dough and stretch it as thin as you can, drizzle with some cooking oil. Slowly pick up the disc and twist to make a rope then wrap it into a spiral.

You should end up with something like this. Leave it somewhere warm to soften.

Place the soften dough on the work surface and flatten it with your palm.

Place disc on a hot tava (flat griddle) and fry on both side til golden. When it is done place it on a plate and loosen it slightly with your palms.

Serve with curry as part of a Malaysian meal or have it with sugar or condensed milk.

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