How to Make Malaysian Roti Jala or Net Pancakes

Every culture or country has its own pancakes and flatbreads as so does Malaysia. Known as Roti Jala, “roti” translates to “bread” and “jala” to “net” (due to how the pancake looks) this is a savoury pancake often served in Malay houses during weddings, Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitr) or for birthday parties. The texture of the pancake is thin, soft, fluffy and net-like. The net like shape is due to the mould which is used to pour the batter through. I have purchased my mould from Malaysia but you can make yours using a soup tin or reusable plastic bottle. Just drill 3-5 holes at the bottom of the tin/bottle cap and give is a good wash. Traditionally people used to use nails to make the holes. Then use a plate/bowl to stop the dripping from the mould. The batter is then poured into the tin/mould and then you make a circular movement to create a net-like pattern on the pan. I would recommend using non-stick pan for this, I have used my crepe pan and it came out beautifully.

With COVID rampant at the moment, I have been thinking of ways to incorporate turmeric into our meals and this is one such dish, as the yellow colour of the pancake is created naturally from the turmeric colour. You can also add other colourings such as pandan colouring/juice or blue pea flower to change the colour of the pancake. Roti Jala is often served alongside Chicken Curry and the best part about it is you can make the pancake or curry the day before or the morning. It does take a bit of effort and practise but it is worth every bite.  I will share my mum’s Chicken Curry recipe in another post.

This recipe is taken from Chef Norman Musa’s Cookbook titled Amazing Malaysia. I love Chef Norman and have tried a few of his recipes and his food is definitely authentic! I’ve met him once during the Cheshire Food Festival but never had the opportunity to dine at his restaurant Ning in Manchester.  He has sinced closed the restaurant moved to The Netherlands where he holds online classes and events.

Tips to follow

1. Feel free to add a little more water to your batter if you find it too thick. The batter needs to be the right consistency for it to flow through the nozzle. I have used a wooden satay stick to poke through the holes for when this happens.
2. Have a look at the youtube video to see how I’ve made the pancakes, keep trying and soon you will get the hang of making the right shape.
3. Do not over cook the pancake in high heat as it has to be soft and not crispy.

Here’s the youtube video showing how I made the roti jala, I will share my mum’s chicken curry recipe in a another post soon.

Feel free to Pin this image on your Pinterest Account so you can remember to try this

Here are more recipes for you to try:

Quick and Easy Breakfast Pancakes with Strawberry Jam Recipe

Aunty Angela’s Portuguese Pineapple Prawn Curry Recipe

How to Cook Mince Lamb with Peas Curry or Keema Matar

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 60 mins Cooking Time: 1 min 1 min

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 600g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 300ml coconut milk
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pandan leaf tied into a knot
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp pandan powder
• 1 tbsp blue pea flower powder

Instructions

1. Put the flour, egg, coconut milk and salt in a bowl.

2. Add water and mix well with a whisk until a smooth batter is formed.At this point you can split the batter into 3 portions and add the pandan powder in one portion, the turmeric powder in one portion and the blue pea flower powder in another portion and mix well.

3. I opted to only make the turmeric pancakes as it is the more traditional. I also halved the recipe which made around 30 pancakes.

4. I poured the batter into a measuring jug and then filled the mould. If you don't have a mould, you can make one using a plastic mineral bottle or a soup tin which has been washed. Make 3 to 5 holes at the bottom of the tin/bottle. Give it a good wash and use a bowl underneath to stop the batter from dripping. Also have a long satay stick at hand in case the batter gets stuck in the mould.

5. Glaze the pan with a little oil using the pandan leaf or a ladle. Best to use non-stick pan. Pls see the video on how I made the pancake. You have to use a circular movement to create the net like shape. Make sure that your batter is not too thick, you can add a little water to dilute it so it comes out of the mould easily. Cook each pancake for 30 seconds then lift it on to a plate. Make sure your pan is not on high heat as your pancake will be brittle and overcooked hence you won't be able to fold it.  I have used Heat Level 6 on my induction cooker.

6. Fold the pancake similar to how you see here and serve with chicken curry. These keep well in the fridge up to 2 days in an air tight tupperware. Just lightly steam to get them soft again. They can be frozen as well but I have never frozen it as they don't last that long in my house.

Notes

Note: I have made half portion of the recipe and this easily made around 30 pancakes for 2 adults and 2 children. Also I have only made turmeric pancakes and not made any blue pea flower or pandan flavoured ones.