Tony Tan’s guide to making roti canai

Ingredients

• 250 ml vegetable oil (1 cup)
• 125 gm ghee or clarified butter, melted
• Dough
• 500 gm plain flour (3 cups)
• 60 ml milk, plus extra if necessary (1/4 cup)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp caster sugar, or to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   1.: For dough, combine ingredients and 180ml water in a food processor and blend until a soft, sticky dough forms. Add a little more milk (10ml) if needed.

2. 2

   2.: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, elastic and shiny (8-10 minutes).

3. 3

   3.: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

4. 4

   4.: Roll dough into a 6cm-diameter cylinder, then cut into 12 even pieces and roll into balls.

5. 5

   5.: Pour oil into a bowl and add the balls of dough, turning each to coat well, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to rest (at least 1 hour or overnight). Roll out each ball to a 20cm round on a lightly oiled work surface.

6. 6

   6.: Carefully stretch dough in a circular motion with lightly greased hands until very thin, pulling gently from underneath as you go.

7. 7

   7.: When the dough is wafer-thin, dab lightly all over with melted ghee.

8. 8

   8.: Fold opposing edges over so they overlap in the centre like an envelope, and trapping air under the folds.

9. 9

   9.: Heat a little ghee on a flat grill or tawa over medium-high heat, add roti and cook until golden and crisp (1-2 minutes each side). Repeat with remaining roti and ghee.