Your Definitive Guide to Roti Canai
From kosong to cobra.
The menus at the ubiquitous mamak establishments in Malaysia and Singapore can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to the sheer variety of roti canai (also known as roti prata) available.
This South Asian-inspired flatbread, cooked on a griddle and served with dal and curry, is part of the holy trinity of late night mamak food, along with fried Maggi and Indomie.
From the simple to the unusual, from the savoury to the sweet, here’s a list of the many types of roti canai on offer. (Not included are items like roti Hawaii and roti Maggi, which more closely resemble murtabak, a kind of stuffed pancake.)
Roti kosong
Roti kosong (empty roti) is plain roti canai, the go-to for a vast majority of mamak patrons. Made from flour, water and ghee or oil, the dough is repeatedly kneaded and folded before proofing to achieve its characteristic fluffiness.
Roti telur
The next most commonly ordered type is roti telur (egg roti). An egg is cracked into the stretched out dough — making sure the yolk breaks — before it’s folded in to create a yellow-streaked flatbread with a protein boost. If you want two eggs, ask for roti jantan (male roti).
Roti tampal
Like roti telur, roti tampal (pasted roti) involves an egg, but instead of folding it into the dough, the egg goes directly onto the griddle. A cooked roti canai is then placed on top of the egg until the two stick together.
Roti sarang burung
Roti sarang burung (bird’s nest roti) is like an egg in a basket, except instead of cutting a hole in a slice of bread, you make a circular cordon with the dough and crack a couple of eggs into the centre. It can be topped with marinated or curried meat for a satisfying breakfast or supper.
Roti doll
This Alor Setar speciality can be found across Malaysia’s Kedah state. Shredded roti canai is piled up in the centre of the plate before curry and dal are ladled around it. The mound is then covered with a sunny side up seasoned with a dash of pepper, with sambal chilli paste on the side.
Roti bawang
Finely sliced red onions are scattered onto the dough and wrapped into the roti canai to lend it freshness and a bit of bite. You can combine both eggs and onions by ordering roti telur bawang.
Roti Planta
This roti canai with margarine inside is called roti Planta, after the most prominent brand of the yellow stuff. It typically comes in a square shape with well-defined corners.
Roti bom
Similar to roti Planta, this involves margarine, but instead of flattening the dough into a circle or square, it is loosely piled on top of itself for a distinctive coiled, compact look.
Roti banjir
Literally “flooded roti”, this looks like it sounds — roti canai inundated with curry, dal or both. Need something more substantial? Go for roti banjir special, which adds a half-boiled egg and sambal chilli paste to the mix. If you’re really hungry, the version with two half-boiled eggs is called roti tsunami.
Roti cobra
A Sabahan speciality, roti cobra is roti canai covered in chicken or mutton curry with a fried egg on top and sometimes stir-fried vegetables on the side. If your local mamak doesn’t serve this, you can just order the items separately and assemble them yourself.
Roti tisu
Roti tisu or “tissue roti”, also called roti helikopter (helicopter roti), is a truly Instaworthy dish. The dough is thinly laid out into a circle, then placed flat on the griddle. Margarine is added, and once the dough has browned, a cut is made from the centre to the edge and the whole thing is rolled into a tall cone. This unusually crispy roti canai is served with condensed milk and sugar.
Roti pisang
Slices of sweet ripe banana are cut and folded into the dough to make something like a South Asian banana crepe.
Roti susu
Malaysians love sweet things, and roti susu is an expression of that love affair. In its simplest form, it is roti canai served with condensed milk on the side, while other versions see the treacle-like sweetener trickled over the flatbread.
Roti kaya
Another sweet roti canai, this too is either served with a dollop of sinful kaya (coconut jam) on top or as a filling.
Roti sardin
Sardines in tomato sauce, like roti canai, are beloved in Malaysia, so why not combine the two? Canned sardines are mashed with a fork together with an egg and red onion slices, then folded into the dough to make this fishy, tomatoey treat.
Roti Milo
Milo, the powdered chocolate drink by Nestle, is a very popular beverage in Southeast Asia. The chocolate powder is liberally sprinkled onto the dough, drizzled with condensed milk, then folded in. The result is a roti canai that delivers mouthfuls of sweet, powdery, chocolatey goodness.
First published in airasia Play on 1 Apr 2022.