When you watch as many cooking shows as I do, you get convinced that the best dishes are the most complex.
These TV chefs go to incredible hoops to develop “depth of flavour” and put as many bells and whistles into dishes. I even saw one chef create his own flavoured ash to sprinkle on top of a dish.
Yep, he spent 30 minutes creating something and then burning it into ash just for a few sprinkles.
But sometimes it’s the simplest dishes that are the most satisfying.
One example is something called roti canai, a dreamy Malaysian dish that is basically an appetizer, but is served at all times of the day.
My favourite roti canai is the one served at Burnaby’s own Green and Oak on Hastings, just east of Boundary Road.
I’ve written about Green and Oak before for their Singapore chicken rice dish, but they have so many other divine dishes.
Roti canai is fresh-grilled Malaysian flatbread served with a house-made curry dipping sauce.
The curry dipping sauce is not spicy, it’s sweet and yummy. The bread is light and fluffy – I don’t know why they call it flatbread because it’s actually wavy.
Roti canai is great as a starter or to eat with your other dishes. The bread has a creamy, buttery texture and you just can’t stop dipping away.
There’s something great about ordering this for a group and everyone sharing. Like I said, it’s so simple and yet so intoxicating.
DISCLAIMER: I have not been compensated in any way by the restaurant in question for writing about them. They don’t even know I am featuring them.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
