![]() A plate of roti bakar, with butter on the left slice, peanut butter and kaya on the right slice. | |
Alternative names | Roti kahwin [1] |
---|---|
Type | Toast |
Place of origin | Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) [2] |
Region or state | Maritime Southeast Asia |
Associated cuisine | Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore |
Roti bakar (lit. "grilled bread"), also known as roti kahwin, refers to a type of toast bread in maritime Southeast Asia, usually prepared with grilled white bread, in both the Indonesian and Malay languages. The dish is a popular breakfast food as well as tea time snack in countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Historically, roti bakar was grilled or toasted by using charcoal as a heat source in many communities throughout the region, though this practice has dwindled with the advent of modern technology. [1]
Common spreads for roti bakar include sugar, margarine, butter, cheese, peanut butter, chocolate spread and kaya.
In Indonesia, roti bakar is usually prepared as a sandwich of grilled white bread with a filling, consumed both as a light breakfast and a common street food. Roti bakar was developed during the era of Dutch colonial rule as a practical way to consume day-old bread; it was typically served with butter, condensed milk, or Dutch cheeses. [2] After Indonesian independence, roti bakar became ubiquitous throughout Indonesia, as consumption of toast became a matter of taste for its people as opposed to the practicality of avoiding the wastage of stale bread. [2]
Many flavor variants have been developed for modern tastes, such as hagelslag , crushed Oreo biscuits, or chocolate syrup. [2]
In Malaysia, coconut jam and cold butter are a popular combination to spread on roti bakar. [3] When prepared in this same manner and preparation, it can be seen as a similar inspiration of the Singaporean kaya toast which were first created by Hainanese immigrants to the city-state. [4] [5] [6]
The city of Ipoh in Perak is known for its kopitiam establishments, where roti bakar accompanied with local tea or coffee beverages and a serving of half boiled eggs is a staple order during morning or afternoon tea. [7] [8]
A variation on roti bakar is roti titab, a thick warm toast with kaya spread onto all four corners and topped with a half-boiled egg. [9]
Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.
Malay cuisine is the traditional food of the ethnic Malays of Southeast Asia, residing in modern-day Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the Philippines as well as Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Coconut jam, also known as kaya jam or simply kaya, is a sweet spread made from a base of coconut milk, eggs, sugar and sometimes pandan leaves as a flavouring. It is popular throughout Southeast Asia.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast, often colloquially known just as Ya Kun, is a Singaporean chain of mass-market, retro-ambience cafés selling toast products, soft-boiled eggs and coffee. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but has expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. The chain has over fifty outlets, mostly franchised, across 14 countries, and is a Singaporean cultural icon, known for its traditional brand identity and conservative, people-centric corporate culture.
Singaporean cuisine is derived from several ethnic groups in Singapore and has developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes in the cosmopolitan city-state.
A kopitiam or kopi tiam is a type of coffee shop mostly found in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Thailand patronised for meals and beverages, and traditionally operated by the Chinese community of these countries. The word kopi is an Indonesian and Malay term for coffee and tiam is the Hokkien/Hakka term for shop. Traditional kopitiam menus typically feature simple offerings: a variety of foods based on egg, toast, kaya, plus coffee, tea, Horlicks and Milo. Modern kopitiams typically feature multiple food stalls that offer a wider range of foods.
Motabbaq is a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread which is commonly found in the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, notably in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Thailand. Depending on the location, the name and ingredients can significantly vary. The name mutabbaq in Arabic means "folded". It is a popular street food in Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
Teh tarik is a popular hot milk tea beverage most commonly found in restaurants, outdoor stalls, mamaks and kopitiams within the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Its name is derived from the process of repeatedly pouring the drink back and forth from one container into another with arms extended during preparation, which helps to slightly cool the tea for consumption and giving it a frothy head. It is made from a strong brew of black tea blended with condensed milk. It is the national drink of Malaysia.
Ipoh has a significant food scene with many hawker centres and restaurants. It has dishes derived from Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine. In recent years, Ipoh has seen an increase in international restaurants, bars and gastropubs which have become popular with locals and tourists.
Yemeni cuisine is distinct from the wider Middle Eastern cuisines with regional variation. Although some foreign influences are evident in some regions of the country, the Yemeni kitchen is based on similar foundations across the country.
Kaya toast is a dish consisting of two slices of toast with butter and kaya, commonly served alongside kopi and soft-boiled eggs. The dish was believed to be created by Hainanese immigrants to the Straits Settlements in the 19th century while serving on British ships.
Toast is sliced bread that has been browned by radiant heat. The browning is the result of a Maillard reaction altering the flavor of the bread and making it firmer. The firm surface is easier to spread toppings on and the warmth can help butter reach its melting point. Toasting is a common method of making stale bread more palatable. Bread is commonly toasted using a toaster or a toaster oven. Toast may contain acrylamide caused by the browning process, which is suspected to be a carcinogen. However, claims that acrylamide in burnt toast causes cancer have not been proven.
Kopi, also known as Nanyang coffee, is a traditional coffee beverage found in several Maritime Southeast Asian nations. Often brewed to be highly caffeinated in strength, it is commonly served with sugar and/or milk-based condiments. This drink originated from the British Malaya era, with Hainanese cultural roots. The name of the drink is derived from the Malay term for coffee. The term Nanyang, which means "South Sea" in Mandarin, refers to Maritime Southeast Asia. Kopi culture vocabulary is grounded in the Hokkien dialect as a result of historical immigration to Maritime Southeast Asia from the Minnan region in the south-eastern part of Fujian Province in southeastern mainland China. The beverage is usually served in coffee shops, hawker centres and kopitiams across the region.
Roti canai, or roti prata, also known as roti chanai and roti cane, is an Indian flatbread dish found in several countries in Southeast Asia, especially Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. It is usually served with dal or other types of curry but can also be cooked in a range of sweet or savoury variations made with different ingredients, such as meat, eggs, or cheese.
Mamak stalls are indoor and open-air food establishments particularly found in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Singapore, which serve a type of Indian Muslim cuisine unique to the region and by its Indian community.
Indo cuisine is a fusion cooking and cuisine tradition, mainly existing in Indonesia and the Netherlands, as well as Belgium, South Africa and Suriname. This cuisine characterized of fusion cuisine that consists of original Indonesian cuisine with Eurasian-influences—mainly Dutch, also Portuguese, Spanish, French and British—and vice versa. Nowaday, not only Indo people consume Indo cuisine, but also Indonesians and Dutch people.
Breakfast, the first meal of the day eaten after waking from the night's sleep, varies in composition and tradition across the world.