Roti Sach (Cambodian Egg Bread with Pork)

About This Recipe

Roti sach is Cambodia's morning gift to itself — a flaky, multi-layered flatbread stuffed with egg and minced pork, pan-fried in a heavy skillet until golden and crackling, and served to early risers heading to the market or temple. The roti base is a direct descendent of Indian paratha, brought to Cambodia through Muslim Cham and Indian trading communities centuries ago, but the filling is entirely Cambodian: seasoned ground pork, scallion, and egg that cooks against the bread into a rich, savory interior. Roti sach vendors typically operate before dawn, cooking over charcoal stoves and stacking the finished breads in cotton cloths to keep warm. Eaten with a small cup of sweetened condensed milk coffee (kafe dtuk gko) or a glass of iced sugarcane juice, roti sach encapsulates everything about Cambodian street breakfast culture — affordable, deeply satisfying, and prepared with the pride of a craft practiced daily for decades.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gall-purpose flour
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 150 mlwarm water
• 2 tbspvegetable oil (for dough)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil (for laminating layers)
• 200 gminced pork
• 2scallions, finely chopped
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 0.5 tspoyster sauce
• 0.25 tspwhite pepper
• 4eggs
• oilfor frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Combine flour and salt. Add warm water and oil and mix into a soft, smooth dough. Knead 5 minutes until elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Season the pork

   Mix minced pork with scallions, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper.

3. 3

   Laminate the dough

   Divide dough into 4 balls. On an oiled surface, roll each ball very thin (2mm). Brush with oil, fold, roll again. Repeat twice to create thin layers.

   Oiling the surface rather than flouring it prevents dryness and promotes the flaky layers.

4. 4

   Add filling and egg

   Place a portion of dough flat on the oiled surface. Spread 50g pork filling in the center. Break one egg over the pork. Fold the sides of the dough over the filling to form a sealed parcel.

5. 5

   Pan-fry

   Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Place the roti seam-side down. Press flat with a spatula. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden, the egg is set inside, and the exterior is crispy.

6. 6

   Serve

   Cut into quarters and serve immediately with sweetened condensed milk for dipping (traditional), or soy sauce and fresh chili.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian roti: replace pork with diced firm tofu, mushrooms, and extra egg.

• •

  Sweet roti: fill with banana and condensed milk for a dessert version popular at Phnom Penh night markets.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Wrap in foil and refrigerate up to 1 day; reheat in a dry pan over medium heat 3 minutes per side.

Frequently Asked Questions