Roti jala is the lesser known and more elusive cousin of the famed roti canai, the Malaysian flatbread. It translates to 'net bread' and is called so because of its appearance. Despite being popular in Malaysia, roti jala originated in India. Roti jala resembles string hoppers, which are eaten in Southern India and Sri Lanka. While string hoppers often use rice flour, roti jala uses only wheat flour. It is believed that roti jala was made by accident when a woman ended up using a ladle with a hole to pick up batter when making pancakes. This caused the batter to flow into thin streams, creating a pattern. Later, turmeric was added for colour before the dish was served to a king. Roti jala increased in popularity and people began to use their fingers to sprinkle the batter onto the pan. In Malay, the method of sprinkling the batter is called ‘renjis’ and so roti jala is also known as roti renjis.
