Roti Canai with Dhal

Name: Roti Canai with Dhal
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 500g All-purpose Flour; 1 tsp Fine Salt; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 Egg; 300ml Water; 2 tbsp Ghee, melted (for dough); 120ml Neutral Oil, for coating/resting dough; 4 tbsp Ghee, for frying; 200g Split Toor Dal; 100g Split Chana Dal; 1 l Water, to cook dals; 1 tsp Turmeric Powder; 2 tbsp Malaysian Curry Powder; 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil; 1 tbsp Ghee; 1 tsp Mustard Seeds; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds; 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds; 2 Dried Red Chilies; 12 leaves of Curry Leaves; 1 Onion, large, chopped; 3 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 Ginger, minced; 1 Green Chili, sliced; 1 Potatoes, diced; 1 Carrots, diced; 1 Tomato, diced; 200ml Coconut Milk; 1 1/2 tsp Salt, to taste; 1 tsp Sugar

Flaky, golden Roti Canai served with a fragrant, mildly spiced dhal — a comforting Malaysian-Indian pairing. The roti is stretched and pan-fried until crisp at the edges and tender inside, while the dhal simmers with toor and chana dals, warming spices, coconut milk and sautéed vegetables for a creamy, flavorful curry perfect for dipping.

Flaky, golden Roti Canai served with a fragrant, mildly spiced dhal — a comforting Malaysian-Indian pairing. The roti is stretched... Show more

Traditional Malaysian Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.4

Time

2 hrs

Price

1,76 €

Calories

1416 kcal

vegetarian

meal prep

low sugar

kid friendly

Method

Rinse the dals

Pick through the Split Toor Dal and Split Chana Dal for any tiny stones, then rinse them in a fine sieve under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Let them drain while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Chop the vegetables

Finely chop the Onion, mince the Garlic and Ginger, slice the Green Chili into thin rounds, cut the Potatoes and Carrots into small dice, dice the Tomato, and roughly chop the Coriander Leaves if needed.

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, combine the All-purpose Flour, Fine Salt, Sugar, Egg, Water, and melted Ghee. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Rest the dough

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls, coat each one with the Neutral Oil, and set them in a covered bowl or tray. Let them rest for 1 hour so the gluten relaxes and the dough will stretch without fighting you.

Cook the dals

Put the rinsed dals into a pot with the water and Turmeric Powder. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the dals are very soft and starting to break down. Keep the pot partially covered and do not drain it; the starchy liquid helps thicken the dhal.

Temper the spices

Set a wide pot over medium heat with the Vegetable Oil and a spoonful of ghee. Add the Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Dried Red Chilies, and Curry Leaves, and cook until the mustard starts popping and everything smells toasty and fragrant.

Cook the aromatics

Add the chopped onion and cook until it softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, green chili, and Malaysian Curry Powder, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the spices bloom and the onions are well coated.

Simmer the dhal

Scrape the cooked dals and their cooking liquid into the spice pot, then add the potatoes, carrots, tomato, and Coconut Milk. Season with Salt to taste and a little more sugar, then simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the dhal is creamy and spoonable. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of the dal cooking liquid.

Stretch the roti

Lightly oil your hands and work surface with a little of the neutral oil, then flatten each rested dough ball into a disk. Gently stretch it from the center outward until it is very thin and nearly see-through, then fold or coil it into a loose round so it fries up in flaky layers.

Heat the pan

Set a skillet or flat griddle over medium heat and let it warm until a drop of dough sizzles on contact. Add a thin layer of ghee for frying and swirl to coat the surface.

Fry the roti

Cook one stretched roti at a time in the ghee, pressing lightly with a spatula so it makes full contact with the pan. Fry for about 2 minutes on the first side, flip, then fry for 2 minutes more until both sides are deep golden with crisp, blistered edges and soft, flaky layers inside. Keep the finished roti wrapped in a clean towel while you cook the rest.

Serve hot

Spoon the dhal into bowls, scatter over the chopped coriander leaves, and serve right away with the roti on the side. Tear off pieces of roti and dip them into the curry while everything is still hot.