Using a stand mixer with a dough-hook attachment or a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, condensed milk and 350ml warm water. Stir for 1 minute until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the flour and use your hands to mix everything together until combined. Add the butter gradually, 1tsp at at time, and keep mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
Keep bringing the mix together, either in a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes or by hand for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. If using a stand mixer, now start working by hand. With well-oiled hands, work the dough in a circular motion, smoothing it out until it is completely smooth and rounded with a shiny surface.
Cover with a coating of oil or butter and leave to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Divide the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces, each weighing approximately 70- 75g and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Use your hands to coat each ball in vegetable oil and transfer to a baking sheet.
Cover with cling film and leave to rest for at least 4 hours, or overnight, in the fridge. At this point, wrap any you won’t be using in cling film and freeze for later use.
Grease the surface and your hands with oil. For each roti ball, start to use the palm of your hand only to push the dough in an outward motion, without applying too much pressure.
Carefully stretch the dough to about 35-40cm, becoming thinner without creating any holes. The dough needs to be of a consistent thickness and should remain in a roughly circular shape. Keep adding oil so that there is no friction between your hands and the dough.
Hold the edge of the dough nearest to you between the thumb and index finger of one hand, with the rest of your fingers resting on top of the dough. In a smooth, confident motion, pick up the edge of the dough with your other hand (a little further away from the hand holding it), then quickly lift up the dough with both hands and slap it down on the work surface. Repeat this at least six times, moving your hands a little each time to rotate the dough after each slap, widening and stretching it in all directions.
If you like, you can use a well oiled rolling pin to help you stretch it. Don’t worry if the dough tears around the edges a little.
When the dough is as thin as you can get it, add any extra ingredients, such as cheese and spinach, if using. Fold in the sides to make a square shape, roughly 25cm. Fold each side quickly, trapping as much air as you can in the fold to create air pockets and bubbles. Leave the folded roti to rest for 2-3 minutes while you heat the pan.
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and add .tsp of oil. Put the roti on the counter and stretch the dough back to a 15-20cm circle. Once the pan is hot, add the dough and, if the pan is hot enough, you will hear a ‘cracking’ sound. Once you hear the cracking, wait at least 30 seconds before flipping the roti over. Flip it four times in total. Each roti will take 2–3 minutes to cook and should be covered in brown spots and puff up.
Remove from the pan and put the cooked roti back on to the oiled countertop. Clap your hands together on either side of the roti and rotate it a few times as you do so. Do this three or four times and the roti will go from flat to flaky.
You can either prepare and cook one roti at a time or prepare all the balls ready to cook, keeping the uncooked ones, covered, in the fridge.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM ROTI KING BY SUGEN GOPAL, PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM FOLAN (QUADRILLE, £18.99).
