Rabu, 7 September 2011

Roti Boyan - The Baweanese Bread

Roti Boyan Kentang - with mashed potatoes filling

There are two types of Baweanese bread usually eaten during breakfast and tea time. One is with mashed potatoes filling and the other is similar to the Indian Prata. Many thought that Baweanese bread originated from Bawean Island. This is not the case. Roti Boyan was 'born' in Malaya during British Colonization. (Malaya was a British Colony in South-east Asia. After independence, it became into two different countries known as Malaysia and Singapore).

Roti Boyan with egg -similar to the Indian Prata

Baweanese who immigrated to Ipoh, Perak (Sungai Rokam -one of the oldest Baweanese settlements in Malay Peninsula) during the colonial days, probably were the first to make Roti Boyan. I was told by my late maternal grandmother who came to live in Ipoh at the age of fifteen around 1930s, that she learned making Roti Boyan from her relatives living in Sungai Rokam. During my trip to Bawean island in May 2010, an Islander told me that the older generations in Bawean island did not know the method of making Roti Boyan. When I asked her about its origin, she said it was introduced only in the recent years. In her case, she learned making Roti Boyan from her relatives living in Malaysia.

Roti Boyan Kentang with Sambel Bilis

Most probably, Roti Boyan Kentang is a product due to the assimilation of cultures in the Malay Peninsula. It has the culture of Indian, British, Chinese and Malay. The dough is from the Indians (prata originated in India called frata), mashed potatoes is from the British (mash potatoes is Western food), the Chinese Celery is from the Chinese (this vegetable is found in many Chinese dishes) and Sambel Bilis (Sambal Bilis) made from dried chili is a Malay dish (Bawean islanders use fresh chili to make their own kind of Sambal. I remember my grandmother used to send dried chili to her relatives in Bawean because this product was not available in the island. While I was in Bawean in 2010, I did not encounter any Sambal Bilis dish. While I was there, Roti Boyan was served as it was. I ate Nasi Lemak with fried salted fish instead of the Malay Sambal and fried Ikan Bilis.)

Sambel Bilis

In making the dough for Roti Boyan Kentang, two tablespoonful of ghee is mix with a pinch of salt in a bowl of warm water before pouring one kg of flour into it. The dough is roll on a pin several times, greasing it with oil before rolling it multiple times. Boiled skinless potatoes are mash in a bowl. Then add salt, pepper, chopped celery and eggs, mixing them into perfect filling. The filling is then wrap with the flat rolled dough before pan fry. Roti Boyan Kentang is eaten with 'Sambel Bilis' or 'Sambel Telor' or 'Sambel Tongkol'.

Semur Tongkol

Making the other type of Baweanese bread is simpler than the previous. The method of making the dough is the same as the first. The dough is roll on a pin several times, greasing it with oil before rolling it multiple times before pan fry. Beaten egg with sliced onion is pour onto the dough while pan fry. This bread is usually eaten with 'Sambel Bilis' or 'Sambel Tomes Tongkol' or 'Semur Tongkol'.

Sambel Tomes Tongkol 

Today, Roti Boyan is eaten not only by the Baweanese but also by others from different ethnic groups living in the Singapore Malay community. The favorite is the one filled with mashed potatoes. It became popular with a different look.

Roti Boyan Kentang with a new look

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