Roti Canai (Roti Paratha)

Combine the flour, kosher salt, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the ghee in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook — using ghee at a soft room temperature (about 75-80°F/23-26°C, liquid but not warm) helps it blend into the dough more easily. For a chewier roti, you can swap in bread flour, though you may need a little extra water since it absorbs more liquid.

Run the mixer on low speed until the mixture clumps together.

Add the egg, milk, and water to the bowl.

Continue mixing on low speed until a smooth, elastic dough forms, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft — it should feel a bit sticky, but not wet.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and cut it into 8 equal pieces, about 4 oz. (113 g) each.

Form each piece into a smooth ball.

Coat each dough ball generously with about 1 teaspoon of ghee.

Arrange the balls in a single layer on a plate, cover with a damp cloth, and let rest at room temperature for at least 6 hours (the dough can also be made a day ahead and refrigerated).

If the dough was refrigerated, let it come back to a warm room temperature before rolling — set it in a warm spot, or microwave in 10-second intervals if your kitchen is cold. Warm dough is more elastic and easier to stretch.

Clean a section of your work surface and coat it with about 2 tablespoons of ghee spread into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle.

Coat your hands liberally with ghee as well.

Put 1 teaspoon of ghee in the center of the buttered work area.

Arrange one dough ball in the center of the ghee-coated work area.

Press the dough with your buttered palm to flatten it into a 6-inch (15 cm) disc, less than 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick and slightly thinner around the edges.

Pull and stretch the dough from the center outward.

Work around the perimeter with your fingertips and thumbs — lift the thicker edges, pull outward to thin them, and gently press the dough against the table to adhere it. Aim to stretch it as thin as possible without tearing it; this step is essential to getting crispy, flaky, soft layers.

Systematically and slowly keep working around the perimeter, pulling outward 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) at a time for the first few rounds to thin the dough evenly. If you're struggling to stretch the dough thin by hand, use a rolling pin to flatten it between stretches and folds.

As the dough thins, focus on any remaining thicker spots and keep stretching with your fingertips until you achieve a paper-thin sheet about 2 feet in diameter.

Using two hands, fold the top quarter of the dough sheet over itself, almost reaching the middle.

Fold the top edge over again to meet the far edge, then repeat folding with the other three sides to form a multi-layered square of dough about 6 to 8 inches (16 to 20 cm) across, trying to capture a little air between the layers with each fold.

Heat a griddle or large sauté pan over low heat until properly hot — you'll know it's ready when you see wisps of smoke, or a drop of water sizzles and evaporates instantly on the surface. A pan that isn't hot enough will make the roti soak up too much oil and turn out greasy and undercooked.

Firmly flatten and spread one folded dough square into a disc 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) in diameter — the dough is elastic and may pull back a little.

Drizzle the griddle with a little ghee, add the roti, and cook slowly, turning once and rotating occasionally for even browning, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until each side is deep golden brown.

Transfer the cooked roti to a work surface and use a clapping motion — carefully, as it's hot — slapping the bread between your hands to separate and fluff up the layers.

Repeat rolling and cooking with the remaining dough, cooking as many roti as will fit in the pan at once.

Serve immediately with curry sauce or sugar.