Malaysian Roti Canai with Dhal Curry ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

For Day 4 under Breakfast across countries, I settled with Malaysian Roti Canai with Dhal Curry. I know this is again very much like the Parotta we make in South India and what I end up making atleast once a week. However the reason I was tempted to make this, was the recipe adaptation and the side dish that is served along with this. While we always only serve a korma or a non veg gravy with parottas, the Malaysians seem to be serving it with Dhal Curry.

Roti Canai is served for breakfast in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It is also known as roti prata and is similar to the Tamil Nadu and Kerala style parotta.

Because this flatbread is prepared in the process of tossing and spinning, it is referred as flying bread as well. Even though traditionally, the roti canai is served with dhal or any type of curry, it is also served with a variety of toppings and fillings.

Roti Canai dough has copious amount of fat, flour and water and is quite sticky. Some even add sweetened condensed milk to the mix. The entire process of making the dough involves repeated oiling, flattening and rolling of the dough. Then the dough is allowed to rest for nearly 4 hours, after which the process is repeated, before being fried.

The final Roti Canai has thin flakes of crispy layers on outside, with soft and fluffy inner layers.

Apart from being served with Dhal, the roti canai is served with a host of other dishes, that its amazing to read about all of them.

After deciding that I was going to be making this, I was going on telling Hubby dear that I was not getting a chance to cook for my pending dishes. He immediately told me to do it on the Saturday. I was actually waiting for him to tell me that, so that I can proceed on his instructions and not make it feel like I was forcing on him.

I had planned on making it for Saturday dinner and wanted to make the dough at 4, somehow I ended up making it at only 6. The first batch rested for 2 hrs and the second batch rested for nearly 4 hrs as I made these for Hubby dear at about 10. Even though it was a noodles day for the boys, seeing the parottas being made, they wanted to have these as well. Of course without the dhal. Parents said the dal turned out so well.

I was so happy that even though the parottas are a regular ones, this combination turned out to be so good. I adapted my Roti Canai from here. While Sweetened Condensed Milk is added to the dough, I replaced it with Milk Powder.

Roti Canai

Ingredients Needed

All purpose flour - 5 cups

Butter - 3 tbsp

Milk - 1 cup

Water - abt 2 cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Milk powder - 3 tbsp

Oil - 1 cup

How to make the dough for Roti Canai

Take 4 cups of flour in a wide bowl, add sugar, salt, milk powder, butter and crumble well. Ensure the butter is rubbed well into the flour.

Then add the milk and mix well. Add 1 cup of water and start mixing it in.

Let it sit for 5 mins. Then again add the remaining cup of water and knead again. The dough will be very sticky. Add about 1/2 cup oil and knead it well, making sure the oil is well incorporated. Let the dough sit for about 30 mins.

After 30 mins, knead it again well and add the remaining 1/2 cup oil. Cover with a plate and let it sit for another 30 mins.

When ready to make, pinch out balls. Since the dough is going to be very sticky, add the remaining cup of flour and knead again. Drizzle some oil and make the balls.

The dough will be sticky, so grease your palm with oil when handling the dough.

Oil the counter and start stretching the balls. Make a thin layer. Bring the sides towards the center, make a square, drizzle with oil and pleat it as rope. Stretch on the sides and make a rope towards the center.

Now again stretch as a disc using your palm.

Heat a tawa, greased with oil. Cook the Roti Canai, pressing on the side if the sides are thick.

Cook on high flame, making sure you press it well. When cooked on both sides, trasfer to a plate and while it is still hot, clasp the roti between your hands for the layers to loosen up.

Serve the Roti Canai with the Dhal curry.