Roti Jala – Famous Malaysian Cuisine
If you know a little about Indian food, the sight of roti jala may puzzle you. Surely these lacy pancakes are Indian string hoppers?
These delicate snacks are believed to have come to Malaysia via Indian immigrants, yet centuries of tweaking and adapting have made roti jala definitively Malaysian. The name translates as “net bread,” and the principal ingredient is wheat flour, not the rice flour of steamed string hoppers.
The flour is combined with eggs, water, coconut milk, turmeric powder and sometimes curry leaves to form a light batter with a distinctive golden hue. The batter is drizzled into a hot pan in a fine stream, forming interlacing circles the thickness of a crepe. Hawker stalls and home cooks often use a special cup with small holes in its base to make the drizzling easier.
Roti jala is traditionally served hot from the pan and should be eaten immediately, either rolled pancake-style or torn into small pieces. It can be dipped into sambal (chilli paste) for a fiery snack and works well with sweet sauces as a dessert treat. However, as locals will tell you, roti jala is the perfect accompaniment to a good Malaysian chicken curry!
Shop name:
Warisan Bonda
Gerai No 5, Astaka Taman Tun Sardon,
11700 Gelugor
Penang
011-56804590
Famous Malaysian cuisine is a 50-video series produced by Masters of Malaysian cuisine(MOMC) in partnership with Tourism Malaysia.
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