Roti Canai is a form of
puffed bread served hot with curry or dhal. Tastes best when taken for
breakfast or morning tea; eaten with the hand (the 'right' one of
course!); accompanied by curry or dhal and washed down with strong, hot,
sweet kopi-O (Malaysian style coffee). Roti canai or roti chennai is a dish unique to Malaysia, which has
its origins lost in the Indian community of those countries. Roti means
bread in Hindi (and Malay) The term 'canai' comes from 'channa', a
mixture of boiled chickpeas in a spicy gravy from Northern India which
it was traditionally served with.
INGREDIENTS:
10 oz plain flour
Salt
to taste
½ cup
ghee [clarified butter]
½ cup water
PREPARATION:
Sieve flour and salt into a mixing bowl
Mix in the ghee, add water gradually, knead until the dough is
a smooth, medium consistency
Let dough rest for 2 to 3 hrs
to soften
Take a portion of dough, shape into a
ball, oil the work top with ghee and work each ball into a very thin sheet -
first flatten with your oiled palms, then thin it further by pulling the edges
[professionals do it by flipping the dough in the air in a circular motion like
a pizza maker does]
Sprinkle the dough sheet with 1 tsp of ghee and fold in edges
forming it into a square then
sprinkle a little flour and roll out slightly
Alternatively, you can thin out the sheet, oil and roll
it up - coil it up like a sea shell, flatten, oil again and repeat the
flattening 1 or 2 more times
Preheat griddle or pan, grease
well with ghee; when hot, put one roti dough on, cook for 2-3 minstill
golden brown. Lift Roti with a spatula, grease the griddle with a tsp of ghee,
cook the other side