In Malaysia, it’s the roti canai that graces breakfast plates. Conjured from flour, water, clarified butter, with a touch of condensed milk, the dough is flipped, flattened, folded, and slapped down like a ’90s Bell Biv Devoe ditty onto a hot oiled griddle to proudly puff. Roti canai is prepared with mesmerizing efficiency, and it’s obvious why it’s commonly referred to as “flying bread.””¨
Roti canai’s origins are often connected to the influx of immigrant laborers from India’s Chennai region (still commonly known by its colonial name, Madras) across the South Asian sea. Along with their manpower the South Indians brought over the layered flatbread, parotta. Cheap and easy to make, the thin bread quickly gained popularity and can now be found at food stalls and restaurants all over Malaysia, enjoyed plain or sprinkled with sugar, with new variations even offering fillings like Nutella or mayo-spiked salads of chopped cabbage and carrots. But most often roti canai is traditionally accompanied by a small bowl of potato coconut curry for dipping.”¨ – mk
