Roti bakar

Roti bakar (lit. "grilled bread"), also known as roti kahwin, refers to a type of toast bread in maritime Southeast Asia, usually prepared with grilled white bread, in both the Indonesian and Malay languages. The dish is a popular breakfast food as well as tea time snack in countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Historically, roti bakar was grilled or toasted by using charcoal as a heat source in many communities throughout the region, though this practice has dwindled with the advent of modern technology.

Common spreads for roti bakar include sugar, margarine, butter, cheese, peanut butter, and kaya.

Indonesia
In Indonesia, roti bakar is usually prepared as a sandwich of grilled white bread with a filling, consumed both as a light breakfast and a common street food. Roti bakar was developed during the era of Dutch colonial rule as a practical way to consume day-old bread; it was typically served with butter, condensed milk, or Dutch cheeses. After Indonesian independence, roti bakar became ubiquitous throughout Indonesia, as consumption of toast became a matter of taste for its people as opposed to the practicality of avoiding the wastage of stale bread.



Many flavor variants have been developed for modern tastes, such as hagelslag, crushed Oreo biscuits, or chocolate syrup.

Malaysia and Singapore
In Malaysia, coconut jam and cold butter are a popular combination to spread on roti bakar. When prepared in this same manner and preparation, it can be seen as a similar inspiration of the Singaporean kaya toast which were first created by Hainanese immigrants to the city-state.

The city of Ipoh in Perak is known for its kopitiam establishments, where roti bakar accompanied with local tea or coffee beverages and a serving of half boiled eggs is a staple order during morning or afternoon tea.

A variation on roti bakar is roti titab, a thick warm toast with kaya spread onto all four corners and topped with a half-boiled egg.