Roti John (Malaysian Egg and Mince Sandwich)
A Malaysian street food sandwich of crisp, pan fried bread with spiced minced beef, onion and egg, drizzled with chilli sauce.
Made with Sambal oelek (chilli sambal) and Basic bread dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.51 a head
- Oven220°C (200°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Divide your ready made bread dough (see the base recipe) into 4 pieces of 150 g. Shape each into a short baguette about 18 cm long, place on a lined tray and prove for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Bake the rolls for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Cool, then split lengthways and open flat.
16 min 40 s - 3
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the mince and cook for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. Stir in half of your ready made sambal oelek (see the base recipe), the ketchup and the salt.
13 min - 4
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the remaining sambal oelek. Stir in the cooked mince and onion.
- 5
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in a quarter of the egg and mince mixture, then press a split roll, cut side down, onto it. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the egg is set and golden. Flip it onto a board with the egg side up. Repeat with the rest.
3 min 30 s - 6
Drizzle with the sweet chilli sauce and serve cut into pieces with the cucumber.
Tips
- Make sure the egg layer is fully set before flipping, and cook the mince mixture properly first, because the egg only has a few minutes in the pan.
- Use a non stick pan with a lid slightly larger than the bread to ease the flip.
- Add sliced cheese or chopped sardines, as some Malaysian stalls do, if you like.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away while crisp. Keep leftover cooked mince for 2 days in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot. Cooked egg sandwiches do not store or reheat well.
Questions
Where does roti john come from?
It is a street food from Malaysia and Singapore, said to be made originally with leftover European style bread. The name roti means bread in Malay, and it is often sold at night markets.
Can I use chicken or lamb mince?
Yes. Chicken mince works but needs cooking until piping hot all the way through with no pink. Lamb mince gives a richer flavour and should be well browned.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes. Use half the sambal oelek, or leave it out and use a little extra sweet chilli sauce. Sambal oelek is very hot, so add it gradually.
More made with sambal oelek (chilli sambal)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.