Roti John (Malaysian Griddled Omelette Sandwich)

Roti John is essentially an omelette sandwich where the bread has been cooked into the eggs, fusing them together. In Malay, the word roti refers to bread of any kind. But who in the world is "John" and why are we eating his bread?

There are many stories as to its origin, and most can be traced to the time when the British occupied Malaya (the old name for West Malaysia and Singapore—we were once one country). Some speculate that the names of British soldiers were difficult for local Malays to pronounce, so white men were simply referred to as "John." Other versions flip that story, saying that Malay names were hard for British soldiers to pronounce, so they used the name for locals. Either way, the story goes that British soldiers requested these omelette sandwiches using Western-style breads, and the name roti John eventually stuck. 

Roti John is also possibly related to the masala toasts of India, which are toasted sandwiches filled with spiced chopped vegetables and eggs. Before the British colonized Malaya, they were setting up shop in India, so it stands to reason that the predecessor of roti John could have traveled here with the British. Whichever its origins actually are, roti John has now evolved to become a beloved snack of many Malaysian and Singaporean Malays.

The Many (Good and Bad) Faces of Roti John

In Malaysia, roti John is especially popular during Ramadan, where it is sold at evening bazaars along with the whole gamut of Malay cuisine, so that folks can pick up food to break their fast at home. Many stalls sell at least two versions of the sandwich: one with minced beef and the other with chicken. Some vendors sell the sandwich with both those meats combined, or offer other protein options like sliced franks or minced tinned sardines.

Regardless of which version of roti John you get, you’ll likely find plenty of fresh vegetables like lettuce and tomatoes and a lot of sauces layered inside. These sauces may include: a sweet and smooth Malaysian-style chile sauce made with fresh chiles; a sweet mayonnaise; another sweet-spicy sauce full of black pepper; and a cheese sauce that tastes like distilled nacho cheese Doritos seasoning. Sometimes, you may even get all of them together. 

I enjoy roti John as a concept, but it usually has so many sauces that the flavors are a muddy tangle of umami. (Frankly, the sheer quantity of condiments can be rather wasteful, since much of it drips out when you’re eating.) The lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetables are often an afterthought, and generally too delicate to stand up to the heat of a fresh sandwich, which leads to many diners picking the wilted remnants out before taking their first bite. To counter this, some stalls serve their sandwiches with plain, unseasoned grated cabbage and carrot—hardier vegetables that have more textural integrity but lack flavor.

How to Make Great Roti John

Despite my complaints about roti John, there are versions that I love—and most of them are made at home. Though the sandwich can easily be found at Ramadan bazaars and corner stalls, it’s quite easy to make yourself, which allows you to make them to order while customizing the sauces and vegetables as you please. Basically: Prepare an egg mixture as though for an omelette, pour it into a pan, and top it with bread so that it sticks together. Sort of like French toast, but without soaking the bread in the egg beforehand. 

It’s common for hawkers to slap untoasted, squishy buns onto an omelette with too much onion and too little meat, doused in multiple sauces. To fix the saggy buns and for an extra layer of crunch, I toast the bread before placing it on the omelette in the pan.

The omelette component itself is fairly straightforward: You stir cooked minced beef or chicken into the eggs along with a tablespoon of curry powder and thinly sliced scallions, then cook that in the pan. Simply by increasing the amount of minced meat (compared to most roti John stalls) and browning it fully to develop its flavor before adding it to the eggs is enough to make the omelette more delicious and significantly improve the sandwich. 

For the sauces and vegetables, I wanted more thoughtful versions than what’s typically served at the stalls. I'm offering two options here so that the sandwich isn't overloaded with a glut of toppings. The first is tomato and lettuce with chile sauce; the second is a cabbage slaw with tangy mayo. You could honestly squeeze in any sauce you deem appropriate, but either chile sauce or mayo is already enough to flavor and lubricate the sandwich. Plus, you won’t have to head out and get even more condiments (unless that’s your thing, which…is respectable).

Instead of the more delicate coral lettuce common at many roti John vendors, I opted for slightly hardier butterhead lettuce, which holds up much better (though it's not as hardy as, say Romaine, so don't let it sit forever). I also slice my tomatoes more thickly, to give them some heft, which go onto the sandwich with the lettuce and chile sauce. Alternatively, my cabbage option is more than just plain, raw shredded cabbage. I make it more in the style of a crisp slaw with both cabbage and carrots, and accompany it with mayonnaise seasoned with a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra tang. 

Eat the sandwiches immediately after assembling for the freshest bite, or do as I do and let the sandwiches sit for 30 minutes so the flavors and textures relax into one another.