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Roti Canai (Indian Flatbread) with Dhal

Play the video instructions for making Roti Canai and Dhal on YouTube

Indian flatbread (Roti Canai) is round and flat. When you go to the Mamak stall, you will see the three major races eating the national breakfast Roti Canai. It is one of the most popular food in Malaysia.

Roti Canai & Dhal Ingredients

During the movement control order period, everyone can’t go to the usual place to eat breakfast. However, I’m craving for Roti Canai so we decide to make it at home. When you can’t exercise at outdoor, kneading dough is also can makes you very sweaty! Haha!

Kneading dough is an exercise, haha!

Kneading dough is a practical knowledge. For example, the air temperature and humidity can affect the soft and hard texture of the dough, so you need to adjust the rest time flexibly.

The resting dough waiting to fry

Maybe some people will say: “A slice of Roti Canai is only RM1, why bother to spend so much effort to make it?” The price does not means everything. The food that i made for myself and family which would nourished the body and soul. During the making process, you’ll gain the satisfaction. This also indirectly makes me more cherish the Malay or Indian stall owner who serve Rotiwith hearty prices. Normally, the dip sauce is Dhal mix with a little fish curry. Therefore, we choose to cook the simple Dhal with it. Cooks a pot of Dhal, not just eat with Roti Canai. You can also eat it with toast or add a spoonful of Dhal to cook with curry flavor instant noodles, it taste good too.

The Source

According internet information, Roti means bread in Sanskrit and most other Indian languages. There are different suggestions for the origin of canai: it has been claimed that canai refers to Chennai (the bread can be written as Roti Chennai), the Indian city formerly known as Madras; or from Channa, a Northern India dish made with boiled chickpeas in a spicy gravy, with which this type of bread was traditionally served. However, states that it came from the Malay word canai, meaning “to roll (dough) thinly”.

In India and Singapore, it also call “Prata”. Other countries have similar recipe, China have Chinese Scallions Pancake and Thailand have Roti Gluoy, they are all popular foods.

Roti Canai (Indian Flatbread) with Dhal and Teh Tarik
Roti Canai

Roti Canai (Indian Flatbread) with Dhal

Indian flatbread (Roti Canai) is round and flat. When you go to the Mamak stall, you will see the three major races eating the national breakfast Roti Canai. It is one of the most popular food in Malaysia.

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5 from 6 votes
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Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Bread, pancake, simple delicious
Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Servings: 6 pieces
Calories: 222kcal

INGREDIENTS

🍪Roti Canai

  • 300 g All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Condensed Milk
  • 25 g Ghee
  • 160 ml Warm Water

🍲 Dhal

  • 50 g Yellow Lentils
  • 50 g Red Lentils
  • 1 liter Water
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tbsp Salt

🔥 Sauté

  • 1 tbsp Ghee or Butter
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tsp Minced Ginger
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
  • 0.5 tsp Cili Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 Green Cili chopped
  • 1 Onion minced
  • 1 Tomato minced


INSTRUCTIONS

🍪Roti Canai

  • Sift flour and mix with salt, condensed milk, warm water mixture evenly.
  • Add in Ghee and knead dough until smooth.
  • Divide dough into 6 small balls, knead into round shape and place on an plate and pour oil over the dough. Coat each dough with oil and let dough rest at least 2 hours.
  • Stretch the dough until it’s transparent thin.
  • Fold dough at least 4 times into a rope. Press a little bit then rolling it down one end create a spiral with the dough, tucking the other end into the bottom.
  • Let it rest for another 10 minutes.
  • Flatten the dough with rolling pin.
  • Medium heat the pan out some oil in it, place Roti Canai and fried until golden brown on both sides.
  • Before take out Roti Canai add in a little Ghee on the other sides and flip it to makes both sides more flavor.
  • Fluff up fried roti by whacking it with both hands.
  • Last, serve with Dhal and enjoy it.

🍲 Dhal

  • The washed lentils soak with hot water for 1 hour.
  • Put the soaked lentils into a pot of boiling water and add in Turmeric powder.
  • Cooking with medium heat and scoop away scum floating on surface. And cook until soft.
  • Medium low heat the pan add in Ghee, Sauté cumin seeds and mustard seeds until fragrant.
  • After add in onion, green chili and curry leaf.
  • After the onion turn soft then add in ginger and garlic to stir fry until fragrant.
  • Put in tomatoes, chili powder and coriander powder to stir fry evenly.
  • Pour all Saute ingredients into lentils pot, add in salt for seasoning.
  • Stir it evenly and ready to serve.

INSTRUCTIONS VIDEO

NOTES

You can leave Roti Canai dough rest for at least 2 hours or in fridge for overnight, just remember to take it out from fridge and leave it until room temperature before you cook.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.7g | Protein: 5.3g | Fat: 4.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 58mg | Sugar: 0.7g | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @my.lovelyrecipes or tag #mylovelyrecipes!

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5 from 6 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Roti Canai