Roti jala, roti kirai or roti renjis ( English: net bread or lace pancake; Jawi: ) is a popular Malay, Minangkabau, and Acehnese tea time snack served with curry dishes which can be found in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

. This is a very traditional Malay dish that is usually homemade and served at events such as weddings and festivals. It is usually eaten in sets of three to four pieces with curries, especially chicken curry, as a substitute to rice.

Etymology

''"Roti jala"'', comes from the combination of terms ''" roti"'', which means ''"the Indian flat bread"'', and the Indian

sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

-origin word ''" jala"'', which means ''"the net"'' or ''"web"''. Thus, the term ''"roti jala"'' means the ''"net roti"'' or ''"web roti"''.

History

Not much is known about the history of roti jala, but it is believed that it first came from modern-day India. Roti jala has historical roots that are closely related to the influence of Indian and Middle Eastern culture that entered the Malay Archipelago through maritime trade routes in the 13th to 17th centuries. Roti jala is one of the results of cultural acculturation that emerged from interactions with these foreign traders. The name "roti jala" comes from its shape which resembles a net or fishing net, a symbol that is relevant to the lives of coastal communities. Roti Jala has a long history in Southeast Asia, dating back to the early 15th century. It was first introduced by the Malay community, who used to make it for special occasions like weddings, festivals, and other celebrations. Roti Jala was also a popular dish among the royal courts, where it was served to the sultans and their guests. Over time, Roti Jala became a staple food in Malaysia and Indonesia, and it is now a common dish that is sold in many restaurants and food stalls across the region. The Malays, being originally fishermen and living by the sea, found inspiration for the snack from the nets they used for fishing, thus the name. It is also called ''roti renjis'', which means "Rinsed Bread", because of the original way it was made, which was by hand, in which the ingredient would be 'rinsed' onto the pan to be cooked. ''roti kirai'' is another name in which 'kirai' refers to the circular motion of the hand when pouring the ingredient from a condensed milk can with tiny holes poked through it. ''Jalara dosa'' originated from ''roti jala''.

Preparation

The ingredients consist mainly of flour, eggs, milk (dairy or coconut), and a pinch of turmeric. They are combined with water to form a runny batter, then drizzled onto a hot pan in a circular motion. A specialized utensil is often used, resembling a cup with multiple outlets beneath, which aids the creation of the "net-like" effect.

Comparison with string hoppers

While both foods consist of string-like batter, ''roti jala'' is made with wheat flour while string hoppers are made with rice flour. ''Roti jala'' is made flat in a single layer (then folded or rolled up after cooking, as desired), while string hoppers are made into a small pile. ''Roti jala'' is essentially pan-fried, while string hoppers are steamed.

References

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