Sometimes the "food wishes" I get take years, or even a decade, before they make an appearance on the channel. Other times, as was the case with this amazing Malaysian Flatbread (Roti Canai), they are granted almost instantaneously. I saw the request in the morning, and by that afternoon, after several minutes of exhaustive research, I'd already started experimenting.
I'm a huge fan of flatbreads, no matter where they're from, or how they're shaped. I probably shouldn't call this beginner's luck, since I do have a lot of experience working with these types of things, but still, I was happily surprised with just how well they came out. As I demonstrated in the video, I still need to work on the old drop-the-folded-dough-on-the-table trick, but all in all, I was pretty pleased with myself.
While this fantastic flatbread would be incredible dipped into anything, the simple and relatively fast red lentil curry was a perfect pairing. You could also make this more substantial by adding extra vegetables, some chicken, or lamb into the mix. No matter how you enjoy yours, I really do hope you give this roti canai a try soon. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
For the Roti Canai:
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4 cups bread flour
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2 tablespoons white sugar
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1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
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1 large egg, beaten
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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1 ¼ cups water
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2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Curried Lentil Dip:
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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½ cup diced yellow onion
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2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
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2 tablespoons curry powder
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1 teaspoon ground paprika
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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¼ cup tomato paste
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3 cups cold water
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1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
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1 cup dried red lentils
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¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, or more as needed
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
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1 tablespoon finely chopped serrano pepper
Directions
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Combine bread flour, sugar, kosher salt, egg, melted butter, and water for roti canai in a mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a work surface and knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 7 minutes.
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Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and form each one into a ball. Coat each ball with vegetable oil, transfer to a plate, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8 hours, to overnight.
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Melt butter for dip in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, kosher salt, curry powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; stir together and saute until onion has softened and spices are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it starts to toast and caramelize on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
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Stir in cold water and coconut milk. Add lentils; stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Reduce heat to low and keep warm while you prepare the roti canai.
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Place 1/4 cup melted butter in a bowl. Transfer rested dough balls onto a lightly oiled work surface. Flatten each ball slightly and rub a little melted butter on top. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let it warm up slightly, about 10 minutes.
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Press on top of the plastic wrap to flatten warmed dough. Remove plastic wrap and add a bit more butter. Stretch each piece from the center out to get it as thin as possible (until almost see-through), adding more butter as needed. Don't worry if there are a few small tears.
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Sprinkle on more melted butter, then pull two sides in towards the center until touching and overlapping slightly. Pull the other two edges in the same way to form a square. Cover with plastic wrap and flatten roti canai one more time.
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Add some melted butter to a skillet set over medium or medium-low heat. Add roti canai and cook until browned, flaky, and crispy on the outside and fully cooked through on the inside, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
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Remove from the skillet and smush it with your hands to fluff it up and separate the layers of dough. Repeat to cook remaining roti canai.
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Sprinkle the curried red lentil dip with cilantro and sliced serrano peppers and serve alongside the roti canai.
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Chef's Notes:
You can use 1 teaspoon fine salt in place of 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt for the roti canai. You can use any lentils in place of red lentils.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 565 | Calories |
| 27g | Fat |
| 67g | Carbs |
| 16g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 565 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 27g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat 18g | 91% |
| Cholesterol 58mg | 19% |
| Sodium 811mg | 35% |
| Total Carbohydrate 67g | 24% |
| Dietary Fiber 11g | 38% |
| Total Sugars 5g | |
| Protein 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 6% |
| Calcium 62mg | 5% |
| Iron 7mg | 41% |
| Potassium 562mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
