Flaky Roti Canai Recipe

Introduction

Roti Canai is a flaky, layered flatbread popular in Malaysia and Singapore, known for its crisp outside and soft, airy layers inside. This recipe walks you through the process of making perfectly flaky roti canai from scratch, a delightful treat to enjoy at any meal.

Ingredients

• 500 g all purpose flour (about 4 cups, measured by spoon and level method)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 180 mL boiling water (¾ cup)
• 180 mL room temperature water (¾ cup)
• Oil (for coating, layering, and cooking)
• Butter or ghee (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: About 10 hours before cooking (or at least 3 hours), place the flour and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. Step 2: While stirring with a fork or spatula, add the boiling water to form clumps in the flour. Stir until the water is dispersed throughout and smaller clumps form.
3. Step 3: Add the room temperature water while mixing (preferably with your hands) until a scraggly dough forms. It should be soft but not sticky.
4. Step 4: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes to an hour for gluten development.
5. Step 5: Knead the dough for 2–3 minutes until smooth and satiny. Knead longer if necessary.
6. Step 6: Weigh and divide the dough into 8 equal portions (90–100 g each). Shape each into a smooth ball, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
7. Step 7: Prepare a small bowl of vegetable oil and spread oil on the bottom of a large plate or flat container.
8. Step 8: Coat each dough ball in oil and place on the plate, leaving about ½ inch space between them. Cover and let rest for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
9. Step 9: To shape, place some oil or butter/ghee in a bowl. Take one dough ball and flatten it on a smooth surface, stretching it thin until almost see-through.
10. Step 10: Spread a thin layer of oil or butter/ghee over the stretched dough.
11. Step 11: Roll the dough firmly into a tube or fold into 0.5–1 inch overlapping pleats forming a log.
12. Step 12: Coil the rolled dough into a tight spiral, tucking ends underneath, then press down gently with your palm to seal.
13. Step 13: Place the coiled dough on the oiled plate, cover, and let rest for at least 1 hour.
14. Step 14: Heat an 8 inch non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat. Flatten a dough coil into a 6–7 inch roti using your hands.
15. Step 15: Brush the pan lightly with oil and cook the roti until golden brown on one side. Flip and cook the other side until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes total.
16. Step 16: Place cooked roti on a cooling rack. While still hot, gently clap the roti with your hands to separate its layers.
17. Step 17: Repeat the flattening, cooking, and clapping steps with the remaining dough portions.

Tips & Variations

• Use ghee instead of regular oil for richer flavor and aroma.
• If your dough tears while stretching, let it rest longer or try stretching gradually to avoid ripping.
• For a quicker version, rest the dough for at least 2 hours instead of overnight.
• Serve roti canai with dhal curry, chicken curry, or even sugar for a sweet option.

Storage

Store cooked roti canai in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat by warming briefly on a hot pan until soft again. For longer storage, freeze cooked roti separated by parchment paper and thaw before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?

Whole wheat flour can be used but it will produce a denser roti with less flakiness. For best results, stick to all purpose flour or a mix of both.

Why is my roti not flaky?

Flakiness comes from proper layering and resting of the dough, as well as gently clapping the cooked roti to separate layers. Make sure to coat dough with oil and allow adequate resting time to develop gluten and create separation between layers.

Flaky Roti Canai Recipe

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4.9 from 122 reviews

Flaky Roti Canai is a traditional Malaysian flatbread known for its crispy, layered texture and rich, buttery flavor. Made from simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, water, salt, and oil, this recipe involves a slow resting and layering process that develops gluten and creates delicate, flaky layers. Perfect to enjoy with curry or dhal, this roti can be cooked quickly on a stovetop pan, resulting in a deliciously crisp outside and soft inside.

• Author: Leo
• Prep Time: 10 hours 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 11 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 roti canai 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Malaysian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

• 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups, spoon and level method)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 180 mL boiling water (¾ cup)
• 180 mL room temperature water (¾ cup)

For Layering and Cooking

• Vegetable oil (for coating, layering, and cooking)
• Butter or ghee (optional, for spreading on dough and cooking)

Instructions

1. Prepare flour and salt: About 10 hours before cooking (or at least 3 hours prior), combine the flour and sea salt in a large bowl and stir to mix evenly.
2. Add boiling water: While stirring the flour with a fork or spatula, slowly incorporate the boiling water to form small clumps distributed throughout the flour.
3. Add room temperature water: Mix in the room temperature water, preferably using your hands, until a scraggly, fairly soft dough forms that is not sticky.
4. Initial dough rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour to develop gluten, allowing it to absorb water and soften.
5. Knead dough: Knead the rested dough for 2 to 3 minutes until it develops a smooth, satiny surface, kneading longer if necessary.
6. Divide and shape dough balls: Weigh the dough and divide it into 8 portions, approximately 90 to 100 g each. Shape each portion into a smooth ball, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
7. Oil dough balls and plate: Prepare a bowl with vegetable oil and a large flat plate lightly coated with oil. Roll each dough ball in oil, place on the plate spaced about ½ inch apart, and cover with plastic wrap.
8. Long rest for dough balls: Let the dough balls rest for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours (overnight preferred) to become pliable.
9. Stretch dough thin: Take one dough ball and flatten it on a smooth surface, then stretch it very thinly by hand to a nearly transparent circle or rectangle, taking care not to tear it.
10. Oil and roll dough: Lightly spread vegetable oil, butter, or ghee on the surface of the stretched dough. Roll it tightly into a tube or fold it with overlapping 0.5 to 1 inch pleats.
11. Form spiral coil: Coil the rolled/folded dough into a tight spiral, tucking the ends under and pressing the coil lightly to seal it.
12. Repeat and rest spirals: Place the coiled dough on the oiled plate, cover with plastic wrap, and rest for an additional hour.
13. Heat pan: Heat an 8-inch or larger non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat, adjusting heat as needed for even cooking.
14. Flatten spiral dough: Take a coiled dough portion and flatten it gently by hand into a 6 to 7 inch round roti on a work surface; a rolling pin may be used if preferred.
15. Cook roti: Lightly oil the heated pan and place the flattened roti in the pan. Cook, flipping frequently, until both sides are golden brown and cooked through, approximately 4 minutes total.
16. Squash layers: Place cooked roti on a cooling rack and while still hot, squeeze or clap it gently to separate and fluff up its flaky layers.
17. Repeat for remaining dough: Continue flattening, cooking, and fluffing all remaining dough portions.

Notes

• Resting the dough for multiple hours (preferably overnight) is key to producing the flaky layered texture of traditional roti canai.
• Using both boiling and room temperature water strengthens gluten development and dough pliability.
• Oil or butter/ghee layering between folds ensures crispiness and layers after cooking.
• Adjust stove heat as necessary depending on your pan and stovetop to avoid burning or undercooking.
• Practice stretching the dough gently to prevent tearing; patience improves results.
• The clapping technique after cooking helps the roti open up into distinct layers.

Keywords: Roti Canai, Malaysian Flatbread, Flaky Roti, Indian Flatbread, Crispy Roti, Homemade Roti