Roti pisang

  • medium
  • 6-8
  • 2 hours plus overnight resting time
5.00

Malaysian roti are generally savoury, but roti pisang (or banana roti) are a delicious sweet variation. The banana caramelises and softens in the hot brown sugar, and the whole dish is finished with a healthy drizzle of condensed milk. This recipe from Roti King's Sugen Gopal makes 8-10 roti, so there will plenty to go around. Alternatively, freeze the raw balls of dough so you can enjoy more roti later.

First published in 2024
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Roti canai

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 15g of cane sugar
  • 75g of condensed milk
  • 250g of warm water, at 32°C
  • 500g of plain flour, ideally half plain flour and half Green Dragon flour
  • 25g of butter, softened, plus plenty more for greasing

Banana filling

  • 10 bananas, thinly sliced
  • brown sugar, for sprinkling
  • condensed milk, for drizzling
  • oil, for cooking

Method

1

For the roti, first add the salt, sugar, condensed milk and warm water to a stand mixer and mix for 1 minute, or until everything is mixed together smoothly

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 15g of cane sugar
  • 75g of condensed milk
  • 250g of warm water, at 32°C
2

Add half the plain white flour and mix with the dough hook attachment for 1 minute

  • 250g of plain flour
3

Add the remaining flour or Green Dragon flour and mix for 7 minutes

  • 250g of plain flour, or Green Dragon flour
4

Add the butter and mix for 8 minutes

5

Grease a container well, then decant the dough into the container

6

Spread butter over the surface of the dough, to keep it from drying out while you shape the roti. You’ll need about 40g

7

Pinch off a 78-85g ball of dough. Roll the dough into a smooth ball – in the restaurant this is done rotating the dough in the palm of your hand, while pressing in the centre with your thumb

8

Grease the dough with more butter, then place it back into the container and repeat for the remaining dough

9

Make sure all the dough is well greased, and pack the balls tightly together. Cover and leave to rest overnight

10

When you're ready to make your roti the following day, begin by thoroughly greasing a large work surface and your hands. Flatten the dough with the heel of your hand, trying to work evenly, almost as if you were trying to smooth the dough into the countertop. You might need to drizzle a little more oil directly onto the dough or your hands as you work to stop it sticking

11

Once you have a thin, flattened piece of dough, you’ll need to ‘flip’ it to thin it out. This takes practice and no small amount of skill, so if you’re struggling, check out our Instagram video with Sugen demonstrating

12

To flip the roti, pick up the dough at the edge closest to you. One palm should be facing up and one palm facing down. Flick the dough quickly back down on the surface, almost as if you were trying to shake something off it. Repeat this until you have a paper thin almost translucent sheet of dough

13

Heat up a heavy pan or large griddle over a medium-high heat, and add a few tablespoons of oil

  • oil, for cooking
14

Scatter one thinly sliced banana and a couple teaspoons of sugar over the dough

  • 1 banana, thinly sliced
  • brown sugar, for sprinkling
15

Fold the dough into a rough rectangle, folding two edges into the middle, then folding the remaining two long sides over each other like an envelope so you have a roughly square piece of dough

16

Transfer the thin dough to your hot pan

17

Once browned on one side, flip the roti and fry until browned on the other side, and light and flaky throughout. You might need to flip the roti a few time to get even browning

18

Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, wiping out the pan in between rotis, and wrapping the cooked roti in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm

19

Cut the cooked roti into small bite-sized squares and drizzle with condensed milk

  • condensed milk, for drizzling
First published in 2024
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An upbringing in the kitchen of his family's restaurant in Malaysia inspired Sugen Gopal to bring those flavours to the UK. Today, he celebrates the humble Malaysian-Indian roti canai at his Roti King restaurants, and Malaysian-Tamil cooking at his restaurant Gopal's Corner.

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