GOING TO MALAYSIA? DON’T FORGET ROTI CANAI

Malaysia has lots of amazing foods and variety, such as Indian, Chinese, Thai, and, of course, local Malay cuisine. I’ve been visiting Malaysia for over 10 years. Since then almost every morning for breakfast I have two flaky and chewy pieces of roti canai with a small side plate of curry chicken to start my day in Malaysia. Oh and also a cup of hot ginger milk tea or as the Malay call it Teh Halia.

So, out of all the delicious foods in Malaysia, if you asked me what to eat, my answer would be roti canai! And there are about 2 dozen types of roti canai!

For one thing, if you’re vegetarian, you can enjoy roti canai with daal—an Indian blend of yellow lentils—for dipping. Although I’m not vegetarian, I do enjoy it with daal now and then.

WHAT IS ROTI CANAI?

It is a flatbread originating from India. Yet, intriguingly, Malaysia is best known for roti canai. Some restaurants in Malaysia make it crispy and well done. Some are softer and chewier.

I like mine more in between. With a bit of char on it for extra flavor. Kinda the same way I like toast. Because roti canai is essentially bread.

Funny Thing Is…

My love for roti canai and chicken curry did not start in Malaysia. I fell in love with this combination at a Malaysian restaurant in New York City, where I was born and raised.

There was a Malaysian restaurant in the heart of NYC’s Chinatown mom used to take me many times on weekends. After having roti canai with a side of chicken curry for the first time I was hooked.

Every time I went back to that restaurant I had to have it. Eventually, I learned that the roti canai I had at that Malaysian restaurant in NYC was greasy and the chicken curry was of a Malay nyona style.

Another funny thing is that although roti canai is commonly eaten for breakfast, a small bowl of chicken curry is not typical in Malaysia. However, the nasi kandars I frequent are kind enough to accommodate me. Nasi kandars are local neighborhood restaurants serving mostly Indian influenced foods.

When it comes to roti canai for breakfast it’s usually eaten with eggs. Whether soft-boiled and placed on top or cooked within the roti canai. As much as I love eggs for breakfast I don’t know why I don’t like it with roti canai. But it’s a popular combination for local Malaysians.

ROTI BANJIR

I’ve tried a few varieties of roti canai throughout my time in Malaysia. Roti Banjir, consisting of a few pieces of shredded roti cania doused or “flooded” with curry sauces and sambal sauce with soft-boiled eggs. So this is a typical breakfast for the locals.

It’s not the style of roti canai I prefer. I prefer it to be chewy with a slightly crisp texture. I like to dip my roti into the sauce. So maybe if I had it where I could dip my roti in the sauce leisurely I might enjoy it more.

I’ve only tried roti banjir a couple of times. The second time was just to see if this type of roti canai would grow on me. But it didn’t, though I am still happy that I tried it.

The roti banjir I ate pictured above is at a restaurant called Mansion Tea Stall Al-Amna Restaurant (📍 Google Maps). If you want to try different styles of roti canai I recommend going there. The people are nice and friendly enough.

ROTI CANAI IS NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST

Because roti canai is essentially a type of bread, it is eaten throughout the day in Malaysia and even in parts of Southeast Asia. Matter of fact one of my favorite styles of roti is Chinese Muslim.

Restoran Mon Chinese Beef Roti (📍 Google Maps) is a popular roti shop near Jalan Alor night market food in Kuala Lumpur. This restaurant cranks out hundreds of roti stuffed with either beef or chicken.

Aside from the delicious seasonings added to the beef and chicken they also use generous amounts of beef and chicken fat. You can enjoy watching them make these flavor bomb rotis right in front of you while waiting online to order. And the lines do get long, particularly during lunch and dinner.

Though they do open at

7:00 am so technically you can have it for breakfast as well. I certainly did more than a few times.

MY ROTI CANAI GOAL

Come to think of it. Of all the times I’ve been to Malaysia. I’ve only eaten three or four different styles of roti canai. Maybe the next time I’m back there I’m going to try all of them. Kinda like my own personal goal and mission. It would be fun to try out different versions and perhaps find a new one that I enjoy!

MY RECOMMENDED RESTORANS FOR ROTI CANAI

Even though you can find roti canai everywhere in Malaysia, particularly in Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur as most foreign visitors will stay there, here are a few places I recommend for delicious roti canai!

These are two places I can easily recommend for roti canai in Kuala Lumpur because they are easily found. There are a handful of nasi kandars I enjoy eating at all over the city. That said, if you are near these restorans, go try it out. Otherwise don’t go out of your way to get there.

There are so many nasi kandars everywhere you will certainly find one that will become your favorite.

Oh here’s a bonus, if you’re visiting the island of Penang, and you’re staying in Georgetown, I recommend Kassim Nasi Kandar (📍 Kassim Nasi Kandar) and I love their version of roti canai because it’s not greasy, soft, fluffy and chewy. Plus there are toasted bits that give it an extra flavor boost!