I realised this morning that I have come to appreciate the roti canai man. I was at my regular mamak (Indian Muslim) shop near my house to buy my breakfast of roti telur bawang (flat bread with egg and chopped onion) and Milo ais kaw (thick iced Milo). I actually noticed that the roti canai man is an integral part of the mamak shop establishment.
Without him, it is hard to imagine how the mamak shop can function. I think the roti canai man could be really an icon in its own right. The skills he acquire to make the different types of roti canai really boggles my mind. They may look easy to acquire but I think they are actually very difficult skills to learn and I am not surprised the roti canai man would have spent most of his working life perfecting those skills.
Not to mention, the roti canai man is also required to know how to cook various other dishes also found in the mamak shop menu. One of the items would be my favourite - Maggi goreng mamak (fried instant noodles). I seem to get addicted to mamak food these days although they are not the best food choices - roti canai, thosai, chapatti and Maggi goreng mamak with one piece of fried chicken; topping off with either Milo ais kaw or teh tarik ais (iced pulled milk tea).
This is one of the advantages of being a Malaysian. The food choices are HUMONGOUS and you would get lost simply just trying to decide what to eat. However, the ubiquitous mamak shop would often be my top choice where food is concerned because it is one of the very few eating shops that you still can get a filling meal for under RM 5, in view of the current economic challenges.
I just wish they'd make it to order rather than cook them at 6Am and reheat them. It's hard to get a good roti canai.
ReplyDeleteThis usually applies to roti canai kosong. If you order roti canai with filling, for e.g. with egg it will be made to order. But it can't be said the same for the curries that accompany the roti canai though, I wish they would keep those curries warm at all times.
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