Roti telur is a direct mutation of roti canai invented at mamak stalls to add protein cheaply. The Tamil-Muslim stall cooks stretch roti canai dough thin, fold it around beaten egg and sometimes onion, then pan-fry it in ghee until crisp outside and soft within. It is a hallmark of the 24-hour mamak menu, rarely found outside the Indian-Muslim stall ecosystem, and is served with dhal or curry for dipping.
A flaky, crisp, buttery flatbread that cracks open to reveal a layer of soft set egg, the ghee running through. Dipped in dhal, the crisp-egg-dhal progression is the whole pleasure of the dish.
The roti canai dough is rested long enough to be extensible, then stretched paper-thin on an oiled surface (the mamak flip-and-stretch technique). A beaten egg, sometimes with onion, is poured onto the centre, the dough is folded around it envelope-style, and the parcel is slapped onto a hot ghee-griddle. The dough crisps in the ghee while the egg sets inside, giving the layered, flaky outside and soft egg interior. It is clapped or torn open at the table to fluff the layers.
Variations
A telur-bawang version adds onion. Some cooks add chopped green chili to the egg.
On the Palate
Where Roti Telur sits in the Malaysian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 20 min
- 18 min
Prepare roti canai dough (300g flour, 1 egg, 150ml water, 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp salt); knead, rest 1 hour.
- 24 min
Divide into 4 balls; oil them and rest 30 minutes more for extensibility.
- 35 min
On an oiled surface, stretch one dough ball paper-thin, almost transparent.
Watch outStretch the rested dough almost see-through thin on the oiled surface — the layers come from this thinness; a thick sheet fries dense instead of flaky.
- 45 min
Pour 1 beaten egg (with optional 2 tbsp chopped onion and a pinch of salt) onto the centre; fold the dough around it into a square parcel.
- 55 min
Slap the parcel onto a hot ghee-griddle; cook 2 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
Watch outGriddle in ghee until the outside crisps golden and the egg just sets inside — pull it before the egg overcooks and the parcel goes dry.
- 62 min
Clap between your hands to fluff, and serve hot with dhal or curry.
Archive tool suggestions — not reviewed
These legacy suggestions have not been evidence-reviewed and are not presented as required tools.
