A FOODIE'S TAKE ON...simple Indian roti (flat bread)

Two weeks ago
Location : Yusuf Islamic Cafe, Sarikei

Note: I'm not promoting this restaurant, but if you happened to be in Sarikei, this restaurant is must for those with  a taste for Indian-Muslim style cooking. Price affordable, clean restaurant, and of course the foods are delicious. hehehehe....

my nephew; waiting for the roti canai

roti canai....yummm!

Roti canai (pronounced "chanai," not "kanai") is a type of flatbread found in Malaysia, often sold in Mamak stalls. It is known as roti prata in Southern Malaysia and Singapore, and is similar to the Indian Kerala porotta. Roti means bread in Hindi, Urdu, most other North Indian languages, and Malay.

The term "canai" derives either from:

1.        Chennai, a city in India which is formerly known as Madras. Roti canai is presumed to have been introduced by immigrant labour from the Madras region where a similar combination of parotta and dalcha - the accompanying lentil curry - is served.

2.        Channa, a dish made with boiled chickpeas in a spicy gravy from Northern India which this type of bread was traditionally served. However, the roti in Northern India is different from that served in Malaysia. The latter is more similar to the South Indian parotta, and roti canai is often served with dhal or lentils curry rather than chickpeas.

The word 'canai' in Malay means 'to knead'. Roti canai is circular and flat. There are two ways to make roti canai that is either to twirl it until the dough becomes a very thin sheet and then folded into a circular shape or to spread out the dough as thinly as possible before being folded. Then the folded dough is grilled with oil. The first method is more popular and faster than the second. The term 'roti paratha' in Malay means 'plate bread'.

thosai.....super yummm!

Thosai is a batter made from lentils and rice blended with water and left to ferment overnight. The batter is spread into a thin, circular disc on a flat, preheated pan, where it is fried with a dash of edible oil or ghee until the dosa reaches a golden brown colour. Then the thosai may optionally be turned over on the pan, and partially fried. The end product is neatly folded and served. Thosai is served with sambar (vegetable curry) and coconut chutney.

Source : wikipedia