Malaysia's 'flying roti canai' draws long queues at Expo 2025 in Osaka
The sight of Muiz tossing roti canai dough in the air is part of the crowd-pulling appeal at the Malaysia Pavilion. – BERNAMApic
OSAKA: "Flying roti canai" has turned out to be a crowd-puller at Expo 2025 Osaka, drawing visitors to the Malaysia Pavilion with its skilful preparation and irresistible buttery aroma.
The sight of roti canai being expertly tossed high into the air by Muhammad Muiz Ruzaini and Mohamad Zul Imran Zulkifle, combined with the tempting smell, has whetted the appetites of visitors. Some are willing to queue for up to two hours.
Muiz said he did not expect to be selected as part of the Malaysian delegation to Expo 2025 Osaka, where he would showcase the rich flavours of Malaysian cuisine on the world stage.
What makes the experience even more rewarding is the overwhelming response from visitors, the Kedahan said when met at the expo recently.
"Many visitors praised the delicious roti canai and gave positive feedback, both in terms of taste and our presentation.
"After they ate, many would come up and say 'oishī' (delicious). Some even repeated it seven times," he said, adding that most of the visitors were from Japan, South Korea and China.
The freshly made roti canai, served with chicken curry and dhal, is priced at 1,680 yen (almost RM50) per serving.
Daily sales average between 1,000 and 1,600 pieces, underscoring its growing popularity among visitors from the above three countries and elsewhere.
The pan-fried flatbread – a popular choice at any time of the day in Malaysia – is skilfully stretched, flipped and spun in the air to create a layered texture.
Crispy and flaky on the outside but soft on the inside, the roti canai was ranked among the top 100 street foods in the world in 2023 by global food database TasteAtlas.
Zul Imran, a roti canai maker from Penang, hoped that the popularity of roti canai at the expo would help cement its place on the global culinary map and attract more tourists to visit Malaysia.
"I hope the Malaysia Pavilion roti canai becomes the number one dish at Expo 2025," he said.
Japanese visitor Yoko Yoshinaga described the dish as "sweet, with a unique texture, and addictive".
"This is my second time having roti canai. I first saw it on X (formerly Twitter), and the unforgettable taste brought me back. I lined up again just to relive the experience," she said.
Yoshinaga, who visited Malaysia 30 years ago, praised the nation's development, calling it a peaceful and modern country.
Another visitor, Hanako Sekimukai, who tried roti canai for the first time, said she was pleasantly surprised by its flavour.
"I've been to Malaysia before, but I never had the chance to try roti canai. The chicken curry served with it wasn't too spicy, which made it even more enjoyable," she said, adding that the cultural performances at the pavilion brought back fond memories of her time in Malaysia.
Located on a 2,654.52sq m site across three floors, the Malaysia Pavilion reflects the nation's diverse culture and dynamic economy.
Under the theme "Weaving a Future in Harmony", the pavilion highlights Malaysia's commitment to a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking future.
Expo 2025 is a six-month fair that began on April 13 and will go on until Oct 13. It is the second world expo in Osaka after Expo 1970. – Bernama
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