Roti John (Malaysia’s Beloved Omelette Sandwich)

Roti John is basically an omelette sandwich the place the bread has been cooked into the eggs, fusing them collectively. In Malay, the phrase roti refers to bread of any variety. However who on the earth is “John” and why are we consuming his bread?

There are lots of tales as to its origin, and most may be traced to the time when the British occupied Malaya (the previous identify for West Malaysia and Singapore—we had been as soon as one nation). Some speculate that the names of British troopers had been troublesome for native Malays to pronounce, so white males had been merely known as “John.” Different variations flip that story, saying that Malay names had been laborious for British troopers to pronounce, so that they used the identify for locals. Both approach, the story goes that British troopers requested these omelette sandwiches utilizing Western-style breads, and the identify roti John finally caught. 

Roti John can be presumably associated to the masala toasts of India, that are toasted sandwiches crammed with spiced chopped greens and eggs. Earlier than the British colonized Malaya, they had been establishing store in India, so it stands to purpose that the predecessor of roti John might have traveled right here with the British. Whichever its origins really are, roti John has now advanced to turn out to be a beloved snack of many Malaysian and Singaporean Malays.

The Many (Good and Unhealthy) Faces of Roti John

In Malaysia, roti John is very common throughout Ramadan, the place it’s offered at night bazaars together with the entire gamut of Malay delicacies, so that folk can choose up meals to interrupt their quick at house. Many stalls promote at the least two variations of the sandwich: one with minced beef and the opposite with rooster. Some distributors promote the sandwich with each these meats mixed, or provide different protein choices like sliced franks or minced tinned sardines.

No matter which model of roti John you get, you’ll doubtless discover loads of contemporary greens like lettuce and tomatoes and a lot of sauces layered inside. These sauces might embody: a candy and clean Malaysian-style chile sauce made with contemporary chiles; a candy mayonnaise; one other sweet-spicy sauce stuffed with black pepper; and a cheese sauce that tastes like distilled nacho cheese Doritos seasoning. Generally, it’s possible you’ll even get all of them collectively. 

I get pleasure from roti John as an idea, nevertheless it normally has so many sauces that the flavors are a muddy tangle of umami. (Frankly, the sheer amount of condiments may be quite wasteful, since a lot of it drips out if you’re consuming.) The lettuce, tomatoes, and different greens are sometimes an afterthought, and customarily too delicate to face as much as the warmth of a contemporary sandwich, which ends up in many diners choosing the wilted remnants out earlier than taking their first chunk. To counter this, some stalls serve their sandwiches with plain, unseasoned grated cabbage and carrot—hardier greens which have extra textural integrity however lack taste.

How one can Make Nice Roti John

Regardless of my complaints about roti John, there are variations that I really like—and most of them are made at house. Although the sandwich can simply be discovered at Ramadan bazaars and nook stalls, it’s fairly straightforward to make your self, which lets you make them to order whereas customizing the sauces and greens as you please. Mainly: Put together an egg combination as if for an omelette, pour it right into a pan, and prime it with bread in order that it sticks collectively. Kind of like French toast, however with out soaking the bread within the egg beforehand. 

It’s frequent for hawkers to slap untoasted, squishy buns onto an omelette with an excessive amount of onion and too little meat, doused in a number of sauces. To repair the saggy buns and for an additional layer of crunch, I toast the bread earlier than putting it on the omelette within the pan.

The omelette element itself is pretty simple: You stir cooked minced beef or rooster into the eggs together with a tablespoon of curry powder and thinly sliced scallions, then prepare dinner that within the pan. Just by rising the quantity of minced meat (in comparison with most roti John stalls) and browning it totally to develop its taste earlier than including it to the eggs is sufficient to make the omelette extra scrumptious and considerably enhance the sandwich. 

For the sauces and greens, I needed extra considerate variations than what’s sometimes served on the stalls. I am providing two choices right here in order that the sandwich is not overloaded with a glut of toppings. The primary is tomato and lettuce with chile sauce; the second is a cabbage slaw with tangy mayo. You would actually squeeze in any sauce you deem applicable, however both chile sauce or mayo is already sufficient to taste and lubricate the sandwich. Plus, you gained’t have to move out and get much more condiments (except that’s your factor, which…is respectable).

As an alternative of the extra delicate coral lettuce frequent at many roti John distributors, I opted for barely hardier butterhead lettuce, which holds up a lot better (although it isn’t as hardy as, say Romaine, so do not let it sit eternally). I additionally slice my tomatoes extra thickly, to offer them some heft, which go onto the sandwich with the lettuce and chile sauce. Alternatively, my cabbage choice is extra than simply plain, uncooked shredded cabbage. I make it extra within the fashion of a crisp slaw with each cabbage and carrots, and accompany it with mayonnaise seasoned with a splash of apple cider vinegar for additional tang. 

Eat the sandwiches instantly after assembling for the freshest chunk, or do as I do and let the sandwiches sit for half-hour so the flavors and textures loosen up into each other.