Malaysian Curry Sauce for Roti Canai

I love the Malaysian hawker markets in Singapore. This is about the cheapest lunch I've ever eaten but absolutely delicious, so I had to learn how to make it. I've not got it exactly right yet but this sauce is the best I've managed so far and is very good in its own right - just not quite what I remember. This is a sloppy curry sauce ideal as a dip for roti (see recipe for Butter Roti)

INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 dried chilli, chopped
2cm stick of cinnamon bark
1 star anise
1 tsp curry powder
2 cups stock - chicken or vegetable
1/2 can coconut milk
3 potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces (I leave the skin on but it's up to you)
Oil for frying

METHOD
In a heavy pan, heat the oil over a medium flame.
Add the onions and garlic and fry until they start to caramelize.
Add all the spices and continue to fry for another minute or two
Stir in the stock and bring to a slow boil, then add the potatoes
Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
Stir in coconut milk to taste (or try replacing with fresh cream)
Remove the cinnamon stick and the star anise before serving.

Butter Roti

Cheat and make Indian roti the easy way.  Delicious with everything. Also see Malaysian Curry Sauce for Roti Canai which is a favorite of mine.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups plain flour (I like to mix wholemeal and plain half and half, but frankly I'll use whatever I have in the pantry!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of chilled water
Lots of salted butter - soft enough to spread.
Vegetable oil for frying

METHOD
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt with a whisk.
Make a well in the centre and add about 2/3 of the water.
Stir with a plastic spatula to combine, then use your hands, adjusting the water or flour if necessary to form a dough.
Remove from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until you have a smooth elastic dough.
Divide into 8 equally sized pieces. On a floured surface, roll out 8 rectangular thin 'pancakes'.
Spread butter onto a pancake, then roll into a scroll.
Standing the scroll up lengthwise, use the flat of your hand to squash the tall scroll back into a ball - you'll end up with an oddly shaped ball of dough with seams of butter running circularly. Repeat for all 8 balls of dough.
Heat a little oil with a little butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. 
Cook each roti for 1 to 2 minutes each side until they puff and turn golden brown in patches.

Try not to eat them all at once!

Besan pancakes

Really easy to prepare and cook spiced breakfast pancakes. Serve these with any chutney, curry sauce, thinly sliced onions or even just ketchup.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup besan flour (also called chickpea flour or garbanzo flour)
1 cup water
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 chopped chilli (fresh or dried). Leave this out if you prefer.
2 spring onions, chopped
Pepper to taste
Oil for frying

METHOD
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to gently combine.  The batter is quite watery. Don't adjust - this will work fine.
Heat enough oil to coat a frying pan over a medium flame.
Add a ladle-full of the batter to the pan. Pick up the pan and roll the mixture out thinly across the pan.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then using a spatula flip the pancake and cook the other side. Remove to a warm plate, make sure the pan is still coated in oil, then cook the next pancake.
You should get 4 or 5 pancakes from this recipe.

Serve with your topping of choice (or without!)