Ingredients
Dough
- 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)
For Coating and Cooking
- Vegetable oil (for coating, layering, and cooking)
- Butter or ghee (optional, for layering and frying)
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: About 10 hours before cooking (or at least 3 hours), combine the flour and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir to mix evenly.
- Adding Hot Water: While stirring with a fork or spatula, pour in the boiling water gradually to incorporate and form clumps. Stir until water is well absorbed forming smaller clumps.
- Adding Room Temperature Water: Add the room temperature water slowly while mixing with your hands. The dough should come together into a scraggly, soft but non-sticky dough.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow gluten to develop and dough to soften.
- Kneading: Knead the rested dough for 2-3 minutes until smooth and satiny. Continue kneading as needed to achieve a smooth surface.
- Divide and Coat Dough Balls: Weigh the dough and divide into 8 equal portions (~90-100 g each). Shape each into a smooth ball. Coat each ball generously with vegetable oil and place spaced out on an oiled plate. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Long Rest: Let the dough balls rest covered for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours; overnight is ideal for best pliability.
- Stretching the Dough: Take one dough ball and flatten it on a smooth surface. Use your hands to gently stretch it paper-thin until it becomes translucent without tearing. Shape can be round or rectangular.
- Layering with Fat and Rolling: Spread a thin layer of oil, butter, or ghee on the stretched dough. Roll it up tightly into a log. Alternatively, fold ends in overlapping layers before coiling.
- Coiling the Dough: Coil the rolled dough into a tight spiral, tucking ends underneath. Press down to seal and place on an oiled plate. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- Final Rest: Cover the coils with plastic wrap and rest for at least 1 hour to relax the dough.
- Cooking Preparation: Heat an 8-inch non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat.
- Flattening the Coil: Flatten one coiled dough ball into a 6 to 7-inch flat roti using hands or a rolling pin.
- Pan Frying: Lightly oil the pan. Place the flattened roti onto the hot pan and cook, flipping frequently for even browning, until both sides are golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes total.
- Layer Separation: Remove cooked roti to a cooling rack and immediately squash it with hands in a clapping motion to separate layers and create flakiness.
- Repeat and Serve: Cook remaining rotis the same way and serve warm with curry or your favorite accompaniments.
Notes
- Resting the dough for a longer period (overnight) greatly improves texture and pliability, giving flakier roti.
- Use vegetable oil for coating and frying, but ghee or butter adds richer flavor and crispness.
- Handle the dough gently when stretching to avoid tears; practice improves technique.
- Adjust heat during cooking based on your stove to prevent burning and to get even browning.
- Serving suggestion: Serve with dhal curry, chicken curry, or dhalda (lentil curry) for authentic Malaysian dining experience.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus 2-10 hours resting time)
- Cook Time: 32 minutes (approximately 4 minutes per roti for 8 rotis)
- Category: Bread
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Malaysian
