Did You Know That Malaysian Roti Canai, The World’s Second-Best Dish Of 2023, Has Indian Origins?

We love that almost all foods are unified in their diversity. The khichdi is the distant cousin of Italian risotto, while tempura could be compared to pagoda in Japan. Some dishes change over time due to the availability of ingredients and local taste. Indo-Chinese food is a great example. India will also be the source of the second-best food in 2023. Yes, you read it right! Taste Atlas, a food and travel magazine, published its annual World Food Awards List, in which Malaysian Roti Canai ranked second. Roti Canai has also been recognized earlier this year as the best bread on the planet. Guess what? You will immediately be reminded of the delicious Malabar Parotta when you first see this dish.

What is Roti Canai? What is the origin of Roti Canai?

In India, Roti means bread. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘canai,’ a Malay word, means “to roll thinly (dough).” The Oxford English Dictionary says that the word is derived from the name of Chennai, an Indian city.

Roti Canai is a pan-fried traditional flatbread that’s made from flour, water, and eggs. In countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, it is often eaten with curries for breakfast. In some areas, it is called roti-prata.

Roti Canai and its Indian roots:

Even the name Roti Canai or Roti Prata brings to mind Indian roti paratha and roti. History confirms this. Travelfish.org, a South Asian travel guide, explains that this dish dates back to the 19th century during the British colonization period. The British colony of Malaya, then known as British Malaya, was home to many Indians. Especially workers from Tamil Nadu. With the increase in Indian immigration to Malaysia, many people started working as street sellers, selling paratha. This was later called roti canai and rotiprata.

Taste Atlas says: “It’s believed that this dish originated in India, when Indian workers who migrated from India to Malaysia brought with them the recipe and tradition of making this crispy pastry in a foreign country.”

How to Make Malaysian Roti Canai

Roti Canai, as mentioned above, is similar to Malabar Parotta. It’s soft and flaky and tastes the best when it is served hot and freshly. The main ingredients to make roti are flour, ghee/oil, and salt. The dough is folded repeatedly to give the final product a layered texture with a soft inner layer and a crispy outer layer.

We found a video that shows the step-by-step process of making roticanai at your home. Mattia Moleri, a popular food vlogger, shared this video on his Instagram account’mattiastable.’ This video has been viewed over 1 million times and received 33k likes.