Roti John (John’s Bread)

Roti John is popular snack from Singapore and Malaysia. However this omelette sandwich is something which we scrambled up at home as a snack or in-between meals. So who is John? And why John’s Bread? Words has it that in the early days a western trader came to Singapore and asked his local helper to make him a bread. The baguette which is the essential bread for making this omelette dish is associated with the westerners who is often called as “John”. So this dish is then named Roti John.

The original Roti John is with minced beef meat whisk in eggs and chopped onions and spread on half a baguette and pan fried. Cucumber and chill sauce are used as a side garnish and dipping sauce. Other  variation suggests vegetarian without the use of meat.

Servings: 1 big baguette

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 piece garlic chop finely
• 9 gm ginger peel and chop finely
• 1 small onion peel and chop finely

• 100 gm minced beef
• 3 tbsp curry powder

• salt to taste

• black pepper to taste

• 2 eggs

• 1 french baguette

• cooking oil
• fresh red chillies optional

• 1 Cucumber peel and slice thinly

• chilli sauce dipping

Steps:

Frying minced beef:

1. In a pan/wok add some oil on medium heat.
2. When the oil is warm, add garlic, onion and ginger. Stir until aromatic and until the onions are soft.
3. Add minced meat.
4. Add curry powder.
5. Add chillies (optional).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Fry until the minced meat is cooked.
8. Taste if needed add salt or more pepper or more curry powder.
9. Turn off heat and transfer to a bowl.

Frying baguette:

1. Cut the baguette (long baguette) in 2 parts. Half them again horizontally so you can open them in half.
2. In the minced meat bowl, add eggs and whisk with a fork.
3. Heat up a pan with 2 tablespoon oil. Do not use olive oil.
4. When the oil is hot, take one side of the baguette with the white part facing up. Using a spoon, scoop some of the minced meat mixture and spread it evenly on the baguette. Do this quickly as you do not want the mixture to absorb through the baguette.
   
5. Slowly place the baguette face down (mixture) on the pan. Let it cook for a while. You can slightly press down the baguette but not to much as you do not want the egg mixture to soak in through the baguette and become soggy uncooked egg. Control the heat/fire of the pan as the mince meat could turned brown easily but the egg mixture is not fully cooked.
6. When you notice the minced meat is getting golden brown and that egg mixture is cooked (not soggy and no residue of uncooked eggs or mince meat), turn the baguette over and fry for a minute just to get the side crispy.
7. Serve immediately with chunks of cucumber and chili or tomato sauce. Serve warm.

Rosie Gohres | www.flavoursofsingapore.nl | www.rosiegohres.com