Roti Sai Mai

1. 1

   Prepare the roti dough

   In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, tapioca flour, sugar, and salt. If making pandan roti, blend pandan leaves with the water and strain to get pandan juice. Add vegetable oil and water (or pandan juice) to the flour mixture. Mix until a rough dough forms.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Fresh flour produces the best results
   • • Pandan juice gives the roti a beautiful green color and subtle fragrance
2. 2

   Knead the dough

   Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft, smooth, and elastic. The dough should be pliable and not sticky. If too sticky, add a little more flour; if too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Proper kneading develops gluten for that signature thin, stretchy roti
   • • The dough should pass the windowpane test when ready
3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Divide the dough into 8-10 small balls (about 50-60 grams each). Brush each ball lightly with oil, place on a tray, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Resting allows gluten to relax, making the dough easier to stretch
   • • The oil coating prevents the surface from drying out
4. 4

   Roll and fold the roti (first fold)

   Take one dough ball and roll it out on a lightly oiled surface into a thin circle (about 8-10 inches in diameter). Brush the surface generously with vegetable oil, then fold it into a rectangle or square shape. Brush the folded dough with oil again.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • The oil creates layers in the roti, giving it texture
   • • Work on one piece at a time while others rest
5. 5

   Roll and fold again (second fold)

   Roll out the folded dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with oil once more, then fold again. Repeat this rolling and folding process 2-3 times total. Finally, roll the dough out into a very thin, almost translucent rectangle or circle.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Each fold creates more layers and develops the characteristic texture
   • • The final roti should be paper-thin and nearly see-through
   • • Expert vendors can stretch the dough by hand until it's translucent
6. 6

   Cook the roti

   Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat (no oil needed in the pan). Carefully place the rolled roti onto the hot pan. Cook for 30-60 seconds until light golden spots appear on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side for another 30-60 seconds. The roti should be lightly crispy on the edges but still soft and pliable in the center.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Don't overcook or the roti will become too crispy and crack when rolled
   • • The roti should have a subtle golden color, not brown
   • • Keep cooked roti covered with a clean cloth to stay pliable
7. 7

   Prepare the sai mai (sugar floss)

   Note: Making sai mai requires expertise and strength. For home cooks, purchasing ready-made sai mai is recommended. If making from scratch: Combine sugar and water in a pot, simmer without stirring (shake the pan instead) until the mixture turns brown and aromatic. Cool slightly, then mix with a paste of oil and flour. While still warm but cool enough to handle, begin the stretching process. Pull and fold the sugar mixture repeatedly until it transforms into thin, silky strands. Add food coloring and flavorings during the stretching process if desired. Roll the strands into balls.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • This step requires immense physical strength and practice
   • • Stay calm during stretching - being hurried will tear the floss
   • • Traditional vendors guard their exact proportions as trade secrets
   • • For beginners, use store-bought sai mai or cotton candy
8. 8

   Assemble the roti sai mai

   Place a cooked roti on a clean surface. Take a generous handful of colorful sai mai (sugar floss) and place it in the center of the roti. You can mix different colors for a rainbow effect. Fold the bottom edge of the roti over the sai mai, then fold in the left and right sides to create an envelope. Optionally sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • Use enough sai mai for a satisfying sweet-to-savory ratio
   • • Mix colors for visual appeal
   • • Don't wrap too tightly or the sugar will compress
9. 9

   Serve immediately

   Serve the roti sai mai immediately while the roti is still slightly warm and the sugar floss is at its fluffiest. The dessert is best enjoyed fresh as the sugar floss will begin to dissolve and lose its texture within hours.

   NaNh NaNm

   Tips:

   • • This dessert has a very short shelf life (1-2 days maximum)
   • • The sugar floss will absorb moisture and lose its fluffy texture over time
   • • If needed, roti can be stored separately and assembled just before serving

• •The key to authentic roti sai mai is getting the roti paper-thin and translucent - practice makes perfect
• •If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for a few more minutes
• •Making sai mai from scratch is extremely difficult; even in Ayutthaya, there are only a handful of expert artisans
• •Store-bought cotton candy can substitute for sai mai in a pinch, though it won't have the same silky texture
• •Traditional vendors in Ayutthaya have been perfecting this recipe across generations
• •The contrast between the slightly salted roti and sweet sugar floss is what makes this dessert special
• •For best results, use fresh flour and high-quality ingredients
• •The roti should be soft and pliable, not crispy throughout, to properly wrap the sugar

• •
  Hot Thai tea or coffee to balance the sweetness
• •
  Iced pandan juice for a refreshing combination
• •
  Fresh coconut water as a light accompaniment
• •
  Thai iced tea (cha yen) - the creamy tea cuts through the sweetness
• •
  Serve as part of a Thai dessert platter with other Ayutthaya specialties

Roti Sai Mai is a treasured dessert with deep roots in Ayutthaya, Thailand's ancient capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The dessert reflects the Islamic influence on Thai cuisine, introduced by Muslim Indian traders who settled in Ayutthaya centuries ago. Historical records credit Bang Pia (also known as Salem Saeng-Arun), a Muslim vendor born in Ayutthaya, with popularizing and perfecting this treat. Bang Pia traveled throughout Thailand making various roti desserts, spending years mastering the art of creating long, delicate candy floss. According to local lore, he discovered the technique by accident when he left sugar syrup on the heat too long while preparing topping for crispy roti, and it became too firm. Rather than discarding it, he experimented with stretching it, eventually developing the signature sai mai technique. His generosity in sharing his knowledge helped establish roti sai mai as an iconic regional specialty. The dessert's name literally translates to 'roti with silk threads,' referring to the ethereal, silky texture of the hand-pulled sugar strands. Today, roti sai mai remains one of Ayutthaya's most beloved and recognizable treats, with numerous vendors carrying on the tradition, particularly near Ayutthaya Hospital and in Bangkok's Chatuchak Market and Victory Monument area. The recipe has been refined across generations of Muslim Thai artisans who guard their exact proportions and techniques as closely held family secrets.

Authentic Ayutthaya-style roti sai mai is distinguished by several key characteristics: First, the roti must be extraordinarily thin - almost translucent - achieved through expert hand-stretching rather than just rolling. Traditional vendors can make the dough 'flop about' in their hands as they work it to paper-thinness. Second, the sai mai (sugar floss) must be hand-pulled using the traditional stretching method, not made with a cotton candy machine. This labor-intensive process requires immense physical strength and creates strands that are finer, silkier, and more delicate than machine-made cotton candy. The stretching technique involves simmering sugar with water, flour, and oil until brown and aromatic, then cooling and repeatedly pulling and folding the mixture until it transforms into silk-like threads. Third, the proportions of ingredients, particularly for the sai mai, are often family secrets passed down through generations. Fourth, authentic versions often use pandan leaves to create green-colored roti and add fragrance. Fifth, the dessert must be consumed fresh - within 1-2 days - as the sugar floss will degrade quickly. Many Ayutthaya vendors add their own special touches, such as coconut milk, sesame, or grains to the roti dough. The making of sai mai requires such skill that even in Ayutthaya itself, only a handful of artisans can produce it at the highest level. One master vendor, Mae Pom, emphasizes that the process requires calmness and patience - 'you cannot do it if you are being hot-headed' - as hurrying will tear the delicate floss. The dessert represents the culmination of Islamic culinary traditions, Thai ingredients like pandan, and generations of craftsmanship in Ayutthaya.