All bread is good bread. From sourdough to focaccia, brioche to bagels (and anything else in between), bread makes the world go round. But, like with most things in life, there can only be one winner – only one can RISE to the top.
Recently, international food guide TasteAtlas released its ranking of the top 100 breads based on votes from around 10,000 readers. And, we’re extremely happy to announce that one of our favourite breads has received the number one spot.
The (bread)winner: roti canai!
The extremely flakey and oh-so-buttery bread that hails from Malaysia is officially the best bread in the world and for a good reason. The perfect accompaniment to any Malaysian curry, roti canai is a yeast-free bread that is rolled out, coiled, and then rolled out again into a disc to achieve that signature flakiness that is a non-negotiable for classic roti canai.
Unlike a lot of breads that require rising (meaning they take hours), roti canai can be made in under an hour, so it’s possible to whip this one up on a weeknight to go with your go-to curry.
World’s best breads: the list of winners
Roti canai wasn’t the only South Asian bread in the top 10, with Indian butter garlic naan and plain naan sitting at 3rd and 8th, respectively. Here’s the top 10:
- Roti canai (Malaysia)
- Pan de bono (Colombia)
- Butter garlic naan (India)
- Nan-e barbari (Iran)
- Pan de yuca (Colombia)
- Focaccia di Recco col formaggio (Italy)
- Baguette (France)
- Naan (India)
- Piadina Romagnola (Italy)
- Tarte flambée (France)
How to make roti canai
Flour, salt, water, butter and oil are all it takes to make the flakiest roti canai ever. Be sure to follow the instructions on how to roll out and coil the flatbread to ensure you get roti canai that’ll transport you to the roti vendors of Malaysia.
You can find our ultimate recipe HERE.
The best curries to serve with your roti:
