Roti John

Roti John

A beloved Singaporean street-food sandwich: a fluffy, fragrant omelette of eggs, onions and sometimes minced meat is cooked onto a split baguette, sliced into portable portions and eaten hot off the griddle.

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •1 loaf soft baguette or long sandwich roll, Western-style baguette is a common home substitute for the traditional sweet Asian bakery loaf; or null
• •6 large eggs
• •1 large red or yellow onion, finely chopped; shallots are closer to the original but harder to find, or null
• •2 stalks spring onions, thinly sliced, or null
• •120 g (4¼ oz) minced mutton or beef, optional but traditional; many hawker stalls skip the meat for a vegetarian version, or null
• •2 tbsp chilli paste or sambal, adjust to taste, or null
• •salt, ½, or to taste
• •white pepper, ¼, or freshly ground black pepper
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil, for cooking, divided
• •60 g (¼ cup) butter, softened, for spreading on the bread
• •4 slices processed cheese slices, optional but very common in Singapore; cheddar works as a substitute, or null

Steps

1. 1 If using the optional meat, heat ½ tbsp oil in a small pan over medium-high heat, add the minced mutton or beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and just cooked through, about 3–4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. 2 Slice the baguette lengthwise and cut crosswise into pieces roughly 12 cm (5 in) long so they fit in your pan. Halve each piece to open like a book.
3. 3 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the chopped onion, spring onions, cooked meat (if using), chilli paste, salt and pepper until evenly combined but not frothy.
4. 4 Generously butter the cut sides of the bread; this helps it crisp on the griddle and gives the rich street-stall flavour.
5. 5 Heat a large non-stick skillet or flat griddle over medium heat with about 1 tbsp oil. Once hot, pour roughly one quarter of the egg mixture into the pan and immediately place a buttered bread piece on top, buttered side down.
6. 6 Pour another quarter of the egg mixture over the exposed upper surface of the bread, spreading it to cover. Lay a cheese slice on top (if using). Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the bottom of the egg is set and golden.
7. 7 Using a wide spatula, carefully flip the whole thing so the bread is now on top and the egg layer cooks against the pan. Cook another 2–3 minutes, until the egg is fully set, the cheese is melted and both sides are golden.
8. 8 Repeat with the remaining egg mixture and bread pieces, adding more oil as needed. Wipe the pan between batches if bits burn.
9. 9 Transfer each finished Roti John to a board and cut into 2–3 manageable pieces. Serve immediately while hot, on its own or with extra chilli sauce on the side.