Roti canai

Roti canai, orroti prata, also known asroti chanaiandroti cane, is aflatbreaddish ofIndianorigin found in several countries inSoutheast Asia, especiallyBrunei,Indonesia,Malaysia,Singapore, andThailand.It is usually served withdalor other types of curry but can also be cooked in a range of sweet or savoury variations made with different ingredients, such as meat, eggs, or cheese.
Rotimeans bread inSanskritand most otherIndianlanguages.There are different suggestions for the origin ofcanai: it has been claimed that the word refers tochanna, aNorth Indiandish made with boiledchickpeasin a spicy gravy, with which this type of bread was traditionally served.Meanwhile, theOxford English Dictionarystates that it may be from theMalaywordcanai, meaning "to roll (dough) thinly".
In Singapore, the dish is known asroti prata, similar to the Indianparatha, orparotta.The Hindi wordparathameans "flat".
Since being introduced around the 19th century, roti canai has become a popular breakfast and snack dish and is one of the most common examples ofSouth Indiancuisine in the region.It is said that Indians brought the dish during the era ofBritish Malaya. It is served in streetmamak stallslocated in both rural and urban areas.
In Southeast Asia, roti canai can often be found in cities that have populations of Indian descent, especially in Malaysia and Singapore and in northernSumatrain Indonesia.It has also been theorized that the dish had been introduced much earlier by Indian traders, in the 17th century, in Aceh and North Sumatra, under the nameroti cane.In Indonesia, the dish is particularly found in Sumatra, where theIndian Indonesiancommunity is more prominent compared to the rest of the country.
Roti canai is aflatbreadmade from dough that is composed of fat (usuallyghee), flour, and water; some recipes also include sweetened condensed milk. The dough is repeatedly kneaded, flattened, oiled, and folded beforeproofing, creating layers. The dough ball is then flattened, spread out until paper-thin (usually by "tossing" it on a flat surface), and gathered into a long rope-like mass. This "rope" is then wound into a knot or spiral and flattened, so that it consists of thin flakes of dough when cooked.
When making varieties with fillings, however, the fillings (eggs, chopped onions, etc.) are spread or sprinkled on the thin sheet of dough, which is then folded with the fillings inside.
Plain roti is often referred to asroti kosong("empty bread" in the Malay language).
Traditionally, roti canai is served withdal(lentil) curry. It may also be served with the following curries:
Different varieties of roti canai served in Brunei and Malaysia are listed below:
Roti pratain Singapore and southern Malaysia is a fried flatbread that is cooked over a flat grilling pan. It is usually served with sugar or a vegetable- or meat-based curry and is also commonly cooked with cheese, onions, bananas, red beans, chocolate, mushrooms, or eggs.
Roti prata is prepared by flipping the dough into a large thin layer before folding the outside edges inwards. The dough is cooked on a flat, round iron pan measuring about three feet in diameter. The cooking process lasts two to five minutes.
Roti canecame to Indonesia via Muslim Indian migration toAceh Sultanate, in the northern parts of Sumatra, around the 17th century,and later to the rest of theDutch East Indies, in the early 19th century.It has since been adopted into theMalay,Acehnese, andMinangkabau cuisineof Sumatra. Consequently, there are Malay, Acehnese, and Minangkabau restaurants serving the dish with mutton curry that are operated by ethnic groups other than Indians.Two types of popularroti canedishes include sweetroti cane, served with various toppings such as cheese, chocolatesprinkles, andchocolate syrup; and savouryroti cane, served with curry sauce.Today in Indonesia, roti canai is often associated with Acehnese cuisine, despite its Indian origin.
InAmpel, anArabquarter inSurabaya, the dish is known asroti maryam,while the Javanese call itroti konde, after its shape, which resembles a hairbun (Javanese:konde). Despite having different names, each variant is derivative of the Indianparathaand is similar in preparation.Indian-influenced roti is typically served withkari kambing(mutton curry).
In Thailand, roti (with variations on spelling such asro tee) is commonly available from street carts, usuallyhalal, sold byThai Muslims.Roti thitchu(Thai for "tissue") is Thai roti canai that is fluffed up by clapping it between two hands inside a dry cloth after frying, served with a Thai Muslim-style beef curry.
In other parts of Thailand, roti is also commonly eaten with mango, banana, sugar,condensed milk, jam,peanut butter, orNutella, although egg roti is also available.