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Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Roti canai with lentil curry

Roti canai with lentil curry is a Malaysian dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour, medium difficulty, for €1.90 per serving. It pairs hand stretched flaky flatbreads with a red lentil curry made with potatoes, carrots, and coconut milk. The key to success is stretching the dough almost until it's transparent, which creates the flaky layers once the cooked flatbread is crumpled.

Tonight, homemade roti canai, those flaky Malaysian flatbreads, dipped into a vegetable lentil curry.

Roti canai with lentil curry
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
810 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Roti canai is the flatbread you see street vendors stretching paper thin before folding and coiling it into a spiral. Once pan fried and crumpled between your hands, it pulls apart into thin, buttery layers, soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges. The lentil curry served alongside is smooth and thick, flavored with curry powder and coconut milk, with chunks of potato and carrot that hold their shape.

This is a dish to make when you have some time on your hands, a lazy Sunday or an unhurried weeknight, since the dough needs resting time and real stretching. Kids love dipping pieces of bread into the sauce, and the dish is easy to share at the table, everyone tearing off their own piece of roti. Mon Chou walks you through each step so the layers come out right the first time.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 400 g
  • Red lentilsoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Curry powderoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Coconut milkoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Melted butter 60 g
  • Milk 10 cl

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 300 g
  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 15 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Knead the flour with the milk, 20 cl of water, a pinch of salt, and two tablespoons of melted butter, then let the dough rest, shaped into balls. 30 min

    The longer the dough rests, the more elastic and easy to stretch it becomes.

  2. Cook the onion, garlic, and ginger with the curry powder, add the diced vegetables and lentils, cover with water, and let it simmer. 25 min

    Red lentils break down, turning the curry creamy with no extra effort.

  3. Stir in the coconut milk at the end of cooking and adjust the seasoning.

    Taste it, the sauce should be spiced but mellow.

  4. Oil the work surface, stretch each ball into a very thin disc, brush with butter, fold and roll into a coil, then flatten it.

    Work with oil, not flour, so the dough stays supple.

  5. Brown the flatbreads in a hot skillet on both sides, then clap them between your hands to crumple them and serve with the curry. 10 min

    Crumpling the hot flatbread is what makes the layers burst open.

Our tips to get it right

  • Knead the dough until it turns smooth and slightly tacky, that's the sign it's ready to stretch without tearing.
  • Let the dough balls rest under a damp towel or plastic wrap so they don't form a dry crust before you stretch them.
  • Cook the flatbreads over medium heat rather than high, so they brown without burning before the inside is fully cooked.

The variations

  • Swap the red lentils for green lentils, the curry will be a bit more rustic and need a few extra minutes of cooking.
  • For a quicker version, use store bought flatbreads warmed in a skillet, the curry stays the same.
  • Add spinach or chickpeas to the curry to vary the vegetables depending on what's in your fridge.

What to serve it with

  • Mango chutney
  • A fresh cucumber salad
  • Spiced black tea

Storage

The curry keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well. The flatbreads keep for 2 days at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, and reheat nicely in a dry skillet. Reheat the curry over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed.

Questions about this dish

Why does my roti canai dough tear when I stretch it?

It usually means the dough hasn't rested enough or you're stretching too fast. Let it rest longer and stretch gradually, turning the disc, instead of pulling hard all at once.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Take it out an hour before stretching so it comes back to room temperature and stays pliable.

Can I replace the coconut milk?

You can use heavy cream if you don't have coconut milk, the curry will just be less fragrant. Avoid regular milk, which makes the sauce too thin.

Do kids actually like lentil curry?

Yes, especially if you go easy on the curry powder at first. Red lentils melt into the sauce and give a smooth texture that kids usually enjoy.

How long does it take to make a roti canai with lentil curry?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a roti canai with lentil curry?

About 810 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roti canai with lentil curry cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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