This fusion kopitiam classic is a favourite with many folks of all ages. While the recipe itself is fairly simple, the preparation can be rather laborious with all the chopping but you best believe it’s worth. Li Ann’s grandma prefers to make a large batch to share with relatives and friends, making it an occasion food for events.
Roti babi
by Li Ann ChooThis fusion kopitiam classic is a favourite with many folks of all ages. While the recipe itself is fairly simple, the preparation can be rather laborious with all the chopping but you best believe it’s worth. Li Ann’s grandma prefers to make a large batch to share with relatives and friends, making it an occasion food for events.
Servings: 4
Prep time: A project
Servings: 4
Prep time: A project
Ingredients
1 loaf soft bakery bread, unsliced
2 tsbp vegetable oil, plus more as needed
5 cloves garlic, finely diced
300g minced pork or minced chicken
2 tsp 5-spice powder
White pepper to taste
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
½ carrot, finely diced
½ yam bean, finely diced
2 large cabbage leaves, finely diced
100g crab meat or crabstick, finely chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
2 eggs, beaten
SAUCE
5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
Red chillies and cili padi, finely chopped (more or less depending on heat preference)
Directions
Leave the unsliced loaf of bread on the counter overnight to dry out.
PREPARE THE FILLING
- The next day, place a skillet on the stove and add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and minced garlic. Turn the heat on to medium and cook the garlic for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the minced meat to the pan, breaking up large clumps. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until no longer pink, and the edges are beginning to brown. Sprinkle in the 5-spice powder and a few shakes of white pepper and stir evenly.
- Add the diced onions and carrot, and fry until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Then stir in the diced cabbage and yam bean and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Once all the vegetables and minced meat are cooked, stir in the chopped crab meat or crabsticks evenly. Add salt and sugar to taste, then turn off the stove to leave the filling to cool.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
- Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
PREPARE THE BREAD
- Cut the stale loaf of bread in slices about 3-4 cm thick. Cut slits into opposite sides of each bread slice to create a tunnel (see gallery image).
- Begin stuffing the bread slices (see gallery image). Take 1 tbsp of meat mixture at a time and place into the tunnel of each bread slice until it is full. Pat the slices down (gently!) to compact the filling into the bread slices.
- Place the beaten eggs into a flat bowl or plate. Coat the surface of each stuffed bread slice with beaten egg.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add about 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil into the pan. Once the oil begins to shimmer, fry the stuffed bread slices one at a time on all sides until golden brown.
- To serve, slice the fried bread according to your preference and serve with the sauce on the side.
Tips
- The vegetable amounts are estimated. Use visual or tactile guidelines to estimate that the carrots, onions, yam bean, and cabbage are in equal amounts.
- If yam bean is unavailable, use other crunchy vegetables or fruits like broccoli, kohlrabi, or green apple.
- For extra crispiness, the stuffed bread slices can be fried in an air fryer at 160°C for 5 minutes.
- Extras keep well in the fridge, and the meat filling can be frozen until the next roti babi craving hits.
Ingredients
1 loaf soft bakery bread, unsliced
2 tsbp vegetable oil, plus more as needed
5 cloves garlic, finely diced
300g minced pork or minced chicken
2 tsp 5-spice powder
White pepper to taste
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
½ carrot, finely diced
½ yam bean, finely diced
2 large cabbage leaves, finely diced
100g crab meat or crabstick, finely chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
2 eggs, beaten
SAUCE
5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
Red chillies and cili padi, finely chopped (more or less depending on heat preference)
Directions
Leave the unsliced loaf of bread on the counter overnight to dry out.
PREPARE THE FILLING
- The next day, place a skillet on the stove and add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and minced garlic. Turn the heat on to medium and cook the garlic for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the minced meat to the pan, breaking up large clumps. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until no longer pink, and the edges are beginning to brown. Sprinkle in the 5-spice powder and a few shakes of white pepper and stir evenly.
- Add the diced onions and carrot, and fry until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Then stir in the diced cabbage and yam bean and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Once all the vegetables and minced meat are cooked, stir in the chopped crab meat or crabsticks evenly. Add salt and sugar to taste, then turn off the stove to leave the filling to cool.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
- Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
PREPARE THE BREAD
- Cut the stale loaf of bread in slices about 3-4 cm thick. Cut slits into opposite sides of each bread slice to create a tunnel (see gallery image).
- Begin stuffing the bread slices (see gallery image). Take 1 tbsp of meat mixture at a time and place into the tunnel of each bread slice until it is full. Pat the slices down (gently!) to compact the filling into the bread slices.
- Place the beaten eggs into a flat bowl or plate. Coat the surface of each stuffed bread slice with beaten egg.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add about 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil into the pan. Once the oil begins to shimmer, fry the stuffed bread slices one at a time on all sides until golden brown.
- To serve, slice the fried bread according to your preference and serve with the sauce on the side.
Tips
- The vegetable amounts are estimated. Use visual or tactile guidelines to estimate that the carrots, onions, yam bean, and cabbage are in equal amounts.
- If yam bean is unavailable, use other crunchy vegetables or fruits like broccoli, kohlrabi, or green apple.
- For extra crispiness, the stuffed bread slices can be fried in an air fryer at 160°C for 5 minutes.
- Extras keep well in the fridge, and the meat filling can be frozen until the next roti babi craving hits.
