Basics
Roti canai (flaky flatbread)
- Preparation time
- 50 min
- Servings
- serves 4 (8 roti)
Ingredients
- Flour — to buy400 g
- Salt — to buy1 tsp
- Sugar — to buy1 tsp
- Egg — to buy1
- Milk — to buy100 ml
- Olive oil — to buy4 tbsp
Preparation
Mix the flour, salt, sugar and egg, gradually add the milk and a little water while kneading, until you get a soft dough that comes away from your hands.
Knead for another 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, then divide it into 8 equal balls.
Coat each ball with oil, place them in an oiled dish, cover and let rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature (ideally 2-3 hours): this long oiled rest is what lets you stretch the dough into an almost transparent sheet.
On an oiled work surface, stretch each ball by hand into as thin a sheet as possible, almost see-through, without tearing it.
Fold the sheet of dough accordion-style then roll it into a spiral to form a layered ball, let rest for 10 minutes.
Flatten each ball into a disc by hand and cook for 2-3 minutes per side in a hot, lightly oiled pan, until golden in places.
Crumple the hot roti between your hands to bring out the flaky layers, serve immediately with a curry or dhal.