Roti Canai

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. In the same prep stage, finely dice the onion and tomato, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the coriander so the curry can cook quickly once started.

   120 g red lentils80 g onion, finely diced100 g tomato, finely diced8 g garlic, minced8 g ginger, finely grated8 g fresh coriander, chopped
2. 2

   Make the dough: in a bowl, combine the plain flour and fine salt. Add the egg, sweetened condensed milk, water, and melted butter, then mix into a shaggy dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky; if it feels very dry, add 1 teaspoon water, and if sticky, dust very lightly with flour. Divide into 2 equal balls and coat lightly with a little of the neutral oil.

   250 g plain flour4 g fine salt1 large (50 g without shell) egg20 g sweetened condensed milk110 ml water25 g unsalted butter, melted20 ml neutral oil
3. 3

   Place the dough balls on a lightly oiled plate, cover, and rest for 10 minutes. This short rest is enough here to relax the gluten so the dough stretches more easily within the 30-minute time frame.

   20 ml neutral oil
4. 4

   While the dough rests, start the dal kari. Heat the neutral oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then add the curry powder and ground turmeric and fry briefly until fragrant; blooming the spices in oil deepens the curry flavour.

   10 ml neutral oil80 g onion, finely diced8 g garlic, minced8 g ginger, finely grated8 g curry powder2 g ground turmeric
5. 5

   Add the tomato and cook for 1 minute to soften. Stir in the rinsed red lentils, water, fine salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and beginning to break down. If it thickens too much before the lentils are tender, add a splash of water.

   100 g tomato, finely diced120 g red lentils450 ml water4 g fine salt3 g sugar
6. 6

   Stir the coconut milk into the dal kari and simmer for 2 more minutes until creamy and pourable. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then keep warm off the heat. Finish with chopped coriander and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

   120 ml coconut milk8 g fresh coriander, chopped2 wedges lime wedges
7. 7

   Shape the rotis: on a well-oiled work surface, place one dough ball and flatten it with your hands. Gently stretch and pull it outward from the edges until very thin, almost translucent in places. Do not worry about uneven edges. Drizzle or smear on a little of the remaining neutral oil as needed to prevent sticking.

   20 ml neutral oil
8. 8

   Fold the stretched dough into thirds, then fold again to make a rough square. Repeat with the second dough ball. If the dough resists shrinking back, let it sit for 1 minute before the final fold.

9. 9

   Heat a heavy frying pan or tawa over medium to medium-high heat. Add half the unsalted butter. Cook the first roti for 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second, pressing lightly with a spatula, until deeply golden with crisp brown spots and the layers are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining butter and second roti.

   20 g unsalted butter
10. 10

    Clap each hot roti lightly between your palms or against a folded clean towel to fluff the layers, then serve immediately with the warm dal kari and lime on the side.

Origin & History

Roti canai is a beloved Malaysian flatbread with roots in South Indian Muslim culinary traditions, especially those brought by Tamil migrants. Over time it became a staple in mamak stalls across Malaysia, where it is famously served with dhal, curry, or sugar depending on the meal and region.