Roti Mataba
โรตีมะตะบะ
Mataba is a Thai-Muslim stuffed flatbread — a flaky roti folded around a filling of spiced minced meat and egg, pan-fried until golden and served with a sweet cucumber relish.
Cultural Origin
Roti Mataba is a Thai-Muslim stuffed flatbread brought into Thai cuisine by Indian-Muslim and Malay traders, particularly through Bangkok's old Phra Athit neighborhood and the southern provinces. It is filled with curried chicken, beef, or vegetables and served with cucumber-onion relish and a side of curry sauce.
Regional Variants
| Region | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Central | The Bangkok mataba is a thinner, crisper roti wrapped around a mild curried filling, served with ajat relish. |
| Southern | Southern versions tend to use spicier fillings closer to Malay murtabak with stronger curry seasoning. |
Allergens & Sensitivities
Key Ingredients
- roti dough
- minced beef or chicken
- onion
- egg
- curry powder
Taste profile
- Salty
- fish sauce, soy, shrimp paste
- Sweet
- palm sugar, coconut
- Sour
- lime, tamarind, fermentation
- Umami
- dried shrimp, fermented pastes, stock
The curry powder filling is warming rather than sharply hot, and the flaky, layered roti dough contributes its own richness from the fat worked into it during folding, so the dish reads as savoury and slightly buttery rather than distinctly spiced.
How Roti Mataba Is Made
- 1
Making the dough
Roti dough is kneaded with fat until elastic, then rested so it can be stretched thin without tearing, the same base dough used for plain roti.
- 2
Stretching
A portion of dough is stretched and slapped against the work surface until translucently thin, a technique that builds the dish's flaky layers.
- 3
Cooking the filling
Minced meat is cooked with onion and curry powder until dry rather than saucy, since a wet filling would make the wrapped roti soggy.
- 4
Filling and folding
Beaten egg is spread over the stretched dough, the cooked filling is spooned into the centre, and the dough is folded envelope-style around it.
- 5
Pan-frying
The folded parcel is pan-fried in a generous amount of fat, turned until both sides are golden and the layers inside have visibly separated.
When It’s Eaten
Eaten as a light meal on its own rather than shared as a starter, commonly bought from stalls near mosques in the late afternoon or evening rather than at breakfast.
How to Order It
- ขอโรตีมะตะบะหนึ่งที่
- kor roti mataba neung thi
- One order of mataba, please.
- ไม่ใส่ไข่
- mai sai khai
- No egg.
What people get wrong
Cutting straight into the middle expecting a runny, curry-like sauce inside; the filling is cooked dry on purpose so the parcel holds together, and the accompanying curry sauce is meant to be dipped into rather than found within.
Where to Try It
Thai-Muslim street stalls in Bangkok's Bang Rak, near mosques, and in southern Thailand.
Tips
- The vegetarian version with egg and onion only is just as satisfying as the meat version — a great option for non-meat eaters exploring Muslim Thai food.