April 22, 2006

Roti Canai

For the past few days, I have been doing extensive google research on making Roti Canai. For those who would like to know what this is, click here. It has been more pain than pleasure and I'm running out of plain flour. Anyway, I decided to update my blog with my roti canai adventures and hopefully get some feedback from those who have tried and succeeded! The recipe I first started off with a couple of days ago was from Kuali-Malaysia by Amy Beh. It came out pretty tough and not thin and crisp on the outside. It was decent though, edible; but still not authentic roti canai! I tried another recipe today which did not include milk; from Malaysianfood.net . As my skills in thinning the dough got better, I was able to make the roti this time with more layers and air trappings for a flakier and crisp roti. The second recipe gave a softer bread-like texture in the center when cooked but in my opinion, the first recipe from Kuali was more workable and tasted more canai-like. I had a few unsuccessful attempts to thin the dough by flipping it and stretching while spinning the dough (like how the mamak's in Malaysia do it) -click here, however, instead of the dough forming a larger circle, it kept shrinking while the corners overlapped each other. I finally decided to just stretch it on the counter with my fingers. The problem with learning to make roti canai is, the amount of dough you waste! After working with one ball of dough, it cant be re-kneaded and stretched out again; as it becomes tough and dry.(like this little penguin I shaped out of frustration). I wasted many many little balls of dough while trying to get the stretching method right. To those lucky ones back in Malaysia; don't take the Mamak roti canai for granted, it involves more than you think it does! An authentic plate of roti from a Malaysian mamak will never be the same for me.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha! I love the penguin roti! So cute! ^-^

Anonymous said...

you are so right, i m also overseas in europe, holland.

i miss the foood sooooo much, roti canai especially, and laksa, nasi lemak and more....

thanks for the info :)
i will try sooon

jorenchong@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

throwing the dough is the hard part, but you can practice with a tea towel (not the same i know)...

Making the right consistency in the dough is also key to having a good one. You can buy the packeted canai, but its not really the same.

anyway, all the best with the site...
from the aussies

alantanblog said...

I love roti canai so much....The best food from malaysia

Anonymous said...

I tried making the dough with plain flour, condense milk, a little sugar, salt and egg and melted margerine mixed in warm water. It tasted like roti canai. My uncle who had a restaurant in Malaysia taught me this. But the key according to him is the marjerine. You have to use marjerine and not butter. Also, must really really mix and punch the dough. Seriously, I rather spent RM1.20 for a roti if I was in Malaysia!

Unknown said...

I've tried making Roti over five times already, and it never tastes the way it does in the mamak stall. Oh how I miss KL. I'm going to try again tomorrow, hopefully luck is with those who are persistent.

Jackie Fletcher said...

Hi, thanks for the great Blog. Just got back from KL last night and already missing the food! Got up early with Jet Lag and thought I would check out how to make my favorites myself - evidently not as easy as i hoped. Wish me luck it might be a long and sticky Sat! Jax - North London X

ana said...

Funny to read, I have also tried so many times to make the fantastic best ever roti canai on Norwegian plates... but, with no luck. Oh.... I miss Malaysia and the wonderful roti. Did fint a similar at Mauritius, but with no curry, just potatoe etc. Will not give up, have to try, try and try. Will also give the receipe to a chef that I know, just for trying even better to make it perfect haha. Great blog you have:)

Anonymous said...

hey there
this is my recipe , tried n tested :)
just good plain flour, water and oil
1 cup flour (more if the dough is too wet)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
mixed everything in a bowl, knead till u get a soft dough, cover and rest for an hour.
divide dough into 7 or 8 portions, rub each ball with generous amount of oil, cover and rest for at least 3 hours.
next flatten each ball on an oiled surface, pull it out or flip it if ur skill is great, otherwise the dough can be roll out paper thin rather easily.sprinkle some oil over it.
roll is up into a cigar shape (very lightly), then holding on on end turn it into a coil.
rest it for another hour, flatten it and fry on a medium hot pan.
you will get roti canai just like what u get in malaysia.
let me know once u have tried it. i have some photos if u r interested.
suresh chong

Anonymous said...

hi chong,
sure want to try your recipe out. pls send pictures to me email add;hunk_dude27@yahoo.com///thanks
eric

Anonymous said...

i've also attempted to try making roti canai and i was using Amy Beh's recipe. Everything went well only that it wasn't fluffy...tasted just like it though and the flipping was managable. I had a feeling that it might not be able to rest coz i actually put it in the fridge since there was egg in it.
anyway, i attempted it again last night, this time i've left it in an airtight container and outside. So let's cross fingers..it's for dinner tonight with my family to celebrate the easter weekend... we miss roti!!!
i'm also gonna try both the recipes posted too.. thanks.
BTW, i used ghee...it was great...i do think the stretchability owes it to the ghee..:)

Anonymous said...

Great blog - I lived in KL for just over a year & fell in love with roti canai! I am in the process of trying to 'perfect' the making of them...4th time & doing quite well (flipping but not quite the proper way)! I have added a tiny amount of yeast into tonights version to see what the result is (maybe a touch fluffier inside)? YUM