Roti John
Roti John is a night-market favourite in Malaysia and Singapore. The most often repeated story says a Singapore street vendor created it in the 1960s or 70s for a foreign customer — “John” being a casual name for any white foreigner. The tale cannot be confirmed, but the recipe is simple and brilliant: a baguette split lengthwise and pressed cut side down onto an omelette with minced meat, onion and chilli, then zigzagged with mayonnaise and chilli sauce. The bread soaks up the egg and turns crisp. A filling breakfast for two.
Your own work in that: 4 min.
- Preparation 8 min
- Frying 8 min
- Assembling 4 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneChop the extras
Finely chop the onion, chilli (seeded if you prefer it milder) and coriander.
Ingredients: 3 pcs eggs · 100 g minced beef · ½ pcs onion · 1 pcs red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · ½ tsp curry powder · ½ tsp salt
Make the mixture
Beat the eggs and mix in the meat, onion, chilli, coriander, curry powder and salt. Break the mince up thoroughly with a fork — it has to cook in a thin layer.
Ingredients: 3 pcs eggs · 100 g minced beef · ½ pcs onion · 1 pcs red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · ½ tsp curry powder · ½ tsp salt
Mince broken up fine, no lumps.Prepare the baguette
Cut the baguette crosswise into two pieces of about 15 cm. Split each lengthwise, not quite all the way through, so it opens like a book, and press flat with your hand.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Pour the mixture
Melt the butter in a pan of about 28 cm over medium heat. Pour in the mixture and spread it into two rectangles the size of the opened baguette pieces.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Press on the bread
Immediately lay both opened baguette pieces cut side down on the mixture and press with a spatula. Fry 4 minutes, until the egg sets onto the bread and the meat is cooked — grey, with no pink left.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Bread pressed on — the egg coats it.Flip
Turn the sandwiches over and check the omelette: if any meat is still pink, turn them back for another minute. Then crisp the crust for 1–2 minutes.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Add the sauces
Move to a board, omelette side up, and zigzag with mayonnaise and chilli sauce.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Zigzags of mayo and chilli — the signature.Cut and serve
Cut into 5 cm pieces and serve at once, hot.
Ingredients: ½ pcs baguette (about 125 g, about 30 cm) · 20 g butter · 2 tbsp mayonnaise · 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Before you start
The meat
Malaysia uses minced beef, mutton or chicken, and a version with canned sardines is just as popular. The meat must be broken up finely, as it cooks for only a few minutes.
Meat-free
Leave out the meat and add 50 g of grated cheese and a diced tomato. A serving stays at about 600 kcal.
Storage
Roti John is eaten straight from the pan — within minutes the bread softens and the sauces soak in. It does not keep.
