Malaysian Roti Canai with Mint Yogurt Dip

About This Recipe

Roti canai is a beloved Malaysian flatbread with roots in South Indian paratha, brought to Malaysia by Indian Muslim immigrants and adapted into a street-food and mamak-stall staple found across the country. The dough is stretched paper-thin by hand or by slapping it against the counter, then folded into layers before being pan-fried in ghee until it turns golden and flaky, with distinct crisp layers that pull apart in sheets. The dough needs a long rest, ideally several hours, coated in oil so it becomes elastic enough to stretch nearly translucent without tearing; rushing this step is the single biggest reason home cooks end up with a dense, chewy roti instead of the paper-thin, flaky version found at mamak stalls. Once stretched, the dough is folded onto itself several times before being pressed flat and fried, trapping air pockets that puff and separate into layers as it cooks. Here it's served with a cooling mint yogurt dip, a fresh, herbaceous pairing that plays well against the roti's rich, buttery layers, though traditionally roti canai is more often paired with dal or a curry sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1egg
• 1 cupwarm water
• 3 tbspcondensed milk
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupghee or vegetable oil(for coating and frying)
• 1 cupplain yogurt
• 0.33 cupfresh mint leaves(finely chopped)
• 1 clovegarlic(minced)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt(for the dip)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Combine flour, egg, warm water, condensed milk and salt into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead 10 minutes until smooth.

2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Divide into 8 balls, coat generously in ghee or oil, and rest covered at room temperature at least 4 hours, or overnight refrigerated.

3. 3

   Stretch and fold

   On an oiled surface, stretch each ball as thin as possible, nearly translucent, then fold into a square or coil to trap layers.

4. 4

   Fry the roti

   Heat a flat griddle with a little ghee over medium heat. Press the folded dough flat and fry 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crisp, pressing the edges to encourage flaky layers.

5. 5

   Make the dip and serve

   Mix yogurt, mint, garlic and salt for the dip. Crush the hot roti gently between your hands to separate the layers, then serve immediately with the mint yogurt dip.

Variations

• •

  Add a beaten egg into the dough right before frying for roti telur, a common egg-enriched variation.

• •

  Serve with a simple dal or fish curry instead of the yogurt dip for the classic mamak pairing.

• •

  Make it sweet by sprinkling sugar or condensed milk over the fried roti instead of a savory dip.

Storage

Best eaten fresh and hot. Store any unused dough balls, coated in oil, in the fridge up to 2 days; the yogurt dip keeps refrigerated up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions