Roti Babi Recipe (Spiced Pork Sandwich) (2024)

A classic French toast is usually made with stale bread dipped in eggs. Then it is being pan fried until golden and served with maple syrup. Some luxurious version is served with additional crispy bacon and grilled banana which is usually available in cafe or restaurant’s breakfast or brunch menu.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong tea houses or cafe (char chan teng, 茶餐厅) the popular French toast is known as “sai tor si, 西多士” which literally means western toast. It is a sandwich with peanut butter fillings that are dipped with eggs then shallow or deep fried until golden brown. A small slice of butter is topped on the French toast, and honey or golden syrup will be served on the side for the customers to pour it themselves.

I believed these two types of French toast are widely known worldwide.

But do you know that Malaysian has their own version of French toast too? It’s not a sweet version, but a savoury one which is known as “roti babi” in Malay language, which literally translates as pork sandwich. It is then served alongside with a blended Worcestershire sauce. Unfortunately this dish has become a rarity and mostly prepared by home cooks nowadays.

You may be wondering why is the name in Malay as the Malays do not eat pork! It is definitely not a Malay dish! Yes indeed, you are right. I believed it is a dish originated by the Penang nyonyas with the Hainanese influence since the early 1900.

Sounds confusing? Nyonya then Hainanese?

Hainanese, being the last Chinese immigrants that arrived in Penang and other parts of Malaysia (formerly known as Malaya) in the early 1900 had difficulties with their job opportunities. Therefore most of them ended up being cooks or domestic helpers to the British colonial. Later on, some experienced Hainanese cooks were being employed by the wealthy Nyonya families who wanted to enjoy both “English” and Nyonya food at home, which also explains how the Hainanese came to influence and master some of the famous Nyonya food such as “gulai tumis”, curry kapitan and etc.

So, if you like French toast, you may like this savoury version too. And if you are healthy conscious and don’t fancy eating fried food, then make it into a toast using sandwich maker without coating the bread with egg.

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INGREDIENTS
(Makes 8 – 10)

Optional Spice Paste
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cekur powder (沙姜)
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp fermented bean paste (tau cheo, 豆瓣酱)
4 – 5 pcs shallots
4 cloves garlic

Fillings
500g mince pork
200g water chestnut
1 onion
6 cloves garlic
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

4 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
Cooking oil

Blended Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp mustard powder
3 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 red chillies
1/2 lime, juiced

1. If you are using spice paste, add all the spice paste ingredients into a food processor and grind until it become a fine paste. Set aside.

2. Finely chopped garlic.

3. Finely diced onion.

4. Peel water chestnut skin, and finely chopped.

*You can use canned water chestnut instead of fresh.

5. Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil, and stir fry the spice paste for 3 minutes or until aromatic.

*Ignore this step if you are not using spice paste. Just heat up the oil and continue with steps below.

6. Add in diced onion and chopped garlic. Stir fry until all the onions are soft and translucent.

7. Add in mince pork, chopped water chestnuts, sugar and salt. Stir fry until all minced pork are cooked and dry.

8. Set the filling aside to cool.

*You can choose to cook the filling the night before too.

9. Remove the crust/ skin of the bread.

10. Add a few spoonful of pork filling on one side of the bread, leaving a space of 1cm at each end. Then topped with another slice of bread to make a sandwich.

11. In a plate, whisk eggs and milk until well incorporated.

12. Heat up a frying pan with cooking oil.

13. Coat the sandwich with egg. Then shallow fry the sandwich in the pan. Lightly press the bread to ensure the two breads are sealed together.

14. Flip the bread over, cook until both side of the bread are golden brown. Drain in a paper towel.

15. To prepare the blended Worcestershire sauce, remove the seeds of red chillies and slice it. In a bowl, add in Worcestershire sauce, sliced chillies, lime juice, sugar, mustard powder and light soy sauce. Whisk everything until there is no lumps and well incorporated.

*Roti babi is always served with blended Worcestershire sauce. Therefore, it is important that the pork fillings are not salty. If you are not serving your roti babi with Worcestershire sauce, you will need to add more salt while cooking the pork filling.