Description
Few dishes embody comfort food as beautifully as roti canai. Known for its flaky, buttery layers and irresistible chew, this flatbread has traveled across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. In India, it’s called paratha. In Sri Lanka, it’s godhambara roti. In Malaysia, it’s roti canai. Despite the different names, the essence remains the same: a dough stretched paper-thin, folded with fat, and cooked until golden brown.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 180 mL boiling water
- 180 mL room temperature water
- 3 tbsp oil, ghee, or butter (for layering and cooking)
- Optional: egg, condensed milk, or sugar for softer dough
Instructions
- Making the Dough: Mix flour and salt. Add boiling water, stir quickly. Add room-temperature water gradually. Knead until smooth (10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes in mixer).
- Resting the Dough: Divide into 8 equal balls. Coat each in oil. Rest 2–12 hours (overnight for best results).
- Shaping the Roti: Stretch dough until paper-thin. Brush with ghee or oil. Roll into a tube, coil into a spiral, and rest 30 minutes.
- Cooking the Roti: Flatten spiral gently. Cook on hot tawa or pan, 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Squash cooked roti to separate layers.
Notes
- Making the Dough: Mix flour and salt. Add boiling water, stir quickly. Add room-temperature water gradually. Knead until smooth (10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes in mixer).
- Resting the Dough: Divide into 8 equal balls. Coat each in oil. Rest 2–12 hours (overnight for best results).
- Shaping the Roti: Stretch dough until paper-thin. Brush with ghee or oil. Roll into a tube, coil into a spiral, and rest 30 minutes.
- Cooking the Roti: Flatten spiral gently. Cook on hot tawa or pan, 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Squash cooked roti to separate layers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: breakfast
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serving Suggestions Breakfast: Egg roti canai, roti rolls with cheese or sausage, or egg kotthu roti. Main Meal: Pair with curries — chicken, beef, crab, mushroom, or jackfruit. Try with Super-Quick Fish Curry or Quick & Spicy Nasi Goreng. Dessert: Sweet roti with cinnamon sugar, ice cream, or Chocolate-Chip Blondies.
- Calories: Calories: 557 kcal Carbohydrates: 95 g Protein: 13 g Fat: 13 g
Keywords: Flaky roti canai recipe, roti paratha, godhambara roti, Malaysian roti canai