Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Malaysian Roti Canai with Curry
馬來西亞印度煎餅
Recipe overview
Smooth dough balls are oiled and rested fully before being stretched into translucent sheets, greased, folded, coiled, flattened and griddled into crisp layers. A home-style potato coconut curry is cooked alongside for dipping.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 500 g plain flour
- 240 ml warm water
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 300 g potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 120 g onion, finely diced
- 250 ml coconut milk
Cooking fat
- 60 g soft ghee or unsalted butter for dough and layers
Curry seasoning
- 2 tbsp Malaysian curry powder
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 350 ml water
Cooking oil
- 4 tbsp neutral oil for dough and curry
02
Tools
- Kitchen scale and measuring jug
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
- Large smooth work surface
- Lidded container
- Knife and chopping board
- Medium saucepan and wooden spoon
- Flat frying pan
- Spatula
- Clean kitchen towel
- Serving basket and curry bowl
03
Steps
Step 1
Mix the dough
Whisk warm water, egg, condensed milk and one-half teaspoon salt in a bowl, then add flour and 15 g soft ghee; mix by hand until no dry flour remains.
Step 2
Knead until elastic
Move the dough to the counter and push, fold and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic enough to stretch without snapping immediately.
Step 3
Oil and rest the balls
Divide into eight balls of about 100 g, place seam-side down in an oiled lidded container, coat the tops with oil, and rest at room temperature for at least 90 minutes.
Step 4
Prepare the curry ingredients
During the rest, cut potatoes into 1.5 cm cubes and finely dice the onion; mix curry powder with 3 tablespoons water into a smooth paste.
Step 5
Fry the curry base
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium and soften the onion for 4 minutes; add curry paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant without scorching.
Step 6
Simmer the potato curry
Add potatoes, remaining water, coconut milk, salt and sugar; bring to a boil, then half-cover and simmer low for 15 to 18 minutes until tender and spoon-coating.
Step 7
Stretch a translucent sheet
Lightly oil the worktop, flatten one rested ball, and gently pull from the thicker centre outward until about 50 cm wide and mostly thin enough to see light through.
Step 8
Grease and fold layers
Spread a very thin film of soft ghee over the sheet, fold both sides inward into a long strip, then lengthen it gently without pressing the layers together.
Step 9
Coil and rest briefly
Wind the strip into a loose spiral and tuck the tail underneath; cover and rest for 5 minutes while shaping the remaining dough balls.
Step 10
Flatten and griddle
Gently press each coil into a 16 cm round; lightly oil a pan over medium and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning repeatedly until blistered, golden and cooked through.
Step 11
Clap open the layers
Immediately wrap the hot bread loosely in a clean towel and clap both sides inward two or three times to separate the folded layers; repeat with each bread.
Step 12
Serve with curry
Taste the curry and loosen with a little hot water to a dipping consistency; place hot roti in a basket and serve the warm curry in a separate bowl.
Common mistakes
- A 20-minute rest leaves dough springy and hard to stretch; oil and rest it for at least 90 minutes.
- Pulling only at the edges tears the sheet; gradually move thickness from the centre outward.
- Pressing folded layers flat or coiling tightly glues the delicate sheets into one dense bread.
- Excessive pan heat burns the outside before the centre cooks; use medium heat and turn repeatedly.
Tips
Keep unused dough balls covered, especially in dry weather, so a skin cannot form.
A few small holes are harmless; leave them and continue folding instead of re-kneading the sheet.
Cook the curry first and keep it warm, but griddle and clap each roti close to serving.
