Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Penang - Jalan Tengah - Roti Canai

Food: Roti Canai
Type: Halal
Location: Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru
Price: Normal – RM0.80 | Egg – RM1.50

Stall Owner: Mr. Narayanan (012 488 0258)
Stall Operation: 0630 - 1130 (normally will off bi-weekly on Tuesday)

Parking convenience: Fair (this depends on residential parking space available - one warning - small drain do not cover up - you may aware with tyre gone into small drain accidentally – too bad, I had this bad experience)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

Hidden within


If you are coming from Penang International Airport, right after the famous snake temple, take left turn, then drive for 20-30 meters distant, turn left into residential area. Further down to T-junction, right turn, then left turn and search for parking space.


Camera-Shy Family
I tried to stay low profile to hide my camera, however, when I took out camera to explain my intention, immediately the stall owner and his son were laughing in shy mode. Instructed them to make it natural, they were bursting into loud laugh when another two stall owners cracked jokes in Tamil language (sorry, I couldn't understand what had they cracked the jokes, just see them laugh until cannot see their eyes)

Camera Shy

There are totally 4 persons working in a team.
1) Mr. Narayanan - Operation
2) His father - Raw material & QC
3) His mother - Chef
4) His sister - Logistic

Mr. Narayanan doing packaging

Simple always GREAT
There are only two choices - Roti Canai (Plain) and Roti Telur (with egg). Another name for Roti Canai is called Paratha if I'm not mistaken.

Roti Canai

Please end this reading immediately if you are looking for the below following "version": -
1) Roti Tissue (thin and large, topped with sweetener milk),
2) Roti Sardin (with Sardin in tomato sauce)
3) Roti Bomb (honestly I never tried before - embarrassed indeed)
4) Roti
... so on and so forth.

Preparation

Before & After

Secret Ingredients

I bluff! The stall owner did not tell me the secret. Common-sense - I fully understand Roti Canai is consists of wheat flour, water, margarine (Palm Oil based), sugar, salt & baking powder

Chef

Panfry Orchestra
One thing you will notice this stall frypan - it's always ON and HOT. I can jot down briefly on how the Roti Canai fried. Press the Roti Canai gently and turn it over. Panfry for 1-1.5 minutes, until both sides are golden brown.

When both sides are ready, remove the Roti Canai from the pan. Using both hands, pat it gently by the edge to make it light and fluffy. Dang, you can eat now!~

My Preference
I prefer Roti Canai, thin and crispy - like what the abovementioned golden brown. No burnt taste and smell. Just in time and just good. I like simple bean curry mixed little with "Ikan Bilis" sweet "sambal". The curry is mixed with little sweet and salty taste.

Perfect Combination

I Eat It My Way
You may have another way of eating, don't limit yourself. Of course I still use fork (the only tool provided). Once Roti Canai is ready, smell its aroma - don't smell like red wine lar please. I rinse a part of it for about 1-2 seconds, let the Roti Canai absorb the curry aroma and taste, then put into your mouth. Hmmm... you will feel both Roti Canai and curry taste flow in your lung via teeth gap. This time - I don't bluff - I only over-describe. Don't imagine the taste. Go and try it. Who knows this alternative option may become your primary choice :-)

Have your adventurous moment.
Adiós!~

2 comments:

  1. I like their roti canai too. The taste is great as compared to franchise nasi kandar 24 hours restaurant. The roti canai tastes more original and traditional :) To me, it is good but to my wife, she commented the roti canai a bit sweet for her. She prefer salty food than sweet food.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There's the main reason - their traditional and original taste hooked my tongue firmly. Yes, I agree with you - Their roti canai is a bit sweet comparing with other stalls or franchised restaurants. I'm a salty taste lover but I found this sweet taste level just match my own spec, not over-cross my acceptance level :-)

    ReplyDelete

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