Roti Gluay, Roti Kluai Khai, Thai Banana Pancake
This Thai roti recipe makes Bangkok's famous street pancake: a stretchy flour dough pulled paper-thin, wrapped around banana and beaten egg, fried crisp in a hot pan and cut into squares under a drizzle of condensed milk. It is sweet, buttery and best eaten hot off the pan, with the banana soft inside and the edges shattering crisp. One serving is about 218 g — one whole roti, cut into pieces.
Roti came to Thailand with Muslim traders from South Asia and was embraced by Thai cooks, who made it sweet. In Bangkok it became a night-market institution: vendors stretch the dough paper-thin on oiled carts, wrap it around banana and beaten egg, fry it crisp and finish it with condensed milk. The best-known version, roti kluai khai — banana-and-egg roti — is sold from carts on almost every busy corner after dark, and it is one of the most craved street snacks in the city.
Pairs well with: Thai iced tea, fresh coconut, and a plate of cut fruit.
Provenance
Thailand
Thai Heritage
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
1h 5m
50m prep • 15m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
458 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 218 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Stretching Dough)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Thai Heritage
Photo: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)
Good Thai roti is judged by the stretch: the dough must be thin enough to see your hand through it, and the finished pancake must shatter crisp at the edges with soft banana inside.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Dough, Rest and Filling
50 Mins • Kneading & Resting
Make the dough first, because it needs a long rest to relax — that rest is what lets you stretch it paper-thin without tearing. While it rests, slice the bananas and beat the eggs, so the filling is ready the moment the dough is.
Maestro Tip: Oil your hands and the work surface before stretching: a dry dough sticks and tears, an oiled one slides thin.
10 Mins No heat
Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt and sugar. Make a well, add the beaten egg, the condensed milk and the lukewarm water, and mix into a shaggy dough. Knead on an oiled surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then divide into 4 equal balls and coat each with a little oil.
Knead until the dough is truly smooth — an under-kneaded dough tears when you stretch it.
Done when: The dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky, and springs back slowly when poked.
30 Mins Room temperature, about 25°C (77°F)
Put the oiled dough balls in a covered bowl and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. This rest relaxes the gluten, which is what makes the dough stretchable instead of springy.
Do not skip the rest: a rested dough stretches paper-thin, an unrested one fights you and tears.
Done when: The dough feels softer and more relaxed, and stretches easily without snapping back.
10 Mins No heat
Oil the work surface and your hands. Take one dough ball and press it flat, then stretch it from the centre outwards, lifting and pulling the edges until it is a thin sheet about 30 cm across — thin enough to see the table through it. Fold the edges in to make a square parcel, spoon in a quarter of the banana slices, pour over a quarter of the beaten egg, and fold the parcel closed.
Stretch with the backs of your hands, not your fingertips — fingertips poke holes.
Done when: The parcel is a neat square with the banana and egg sealed inside and no holes in the dough.
12 Mins Medium heat, about 170°C (340°F)
Heat the frying oil in a flat pan over medium heat, about 170°C (340°F). Slide in the parcel, seam-side down, and fry for about 3 minutes a side until deep golden and crisp. Lift out and drain briefly. Repeat with the remaining parcels, adding a little more oil if the pan dries out.
If the oil is too cool the roti soaks up fat and turns soggy; if it smokes, it is too hot and the outside burns before the egg sets.
Done when: The roti is deep golden brown, crisp at the edges and puffed slightly in the middle; the egg inside is set.
3 Mins Serve hot, about 70°C (158°F)
Cut each hot roti into bite-size squares, drizzle over the condensed milk and sprinkle with sugar. Serve at once, while the edges are still crisp.
Eat it within minutes: a roti that sits goes soft and loses its crunch.
Done when: The roti is golden, crisp and sweet, with soft banana and set egg inside.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Cut the hot roti into bite-size squares, drizzle over the condensed milk and sprinkle with sugar. Eat at once, while the edges are still crisp and the banana is soft.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
458
kcal / serving
Protein
13g
Complete AA
Carbs
75g
Complex
Fats
12g
Healthy
| Energy | 458 kcal |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 75 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fibre | 3.2 g |
| Sugar | 21.4 g |
| Sodium | 557 mg |
| Energy | 210 kcal |
| Protein | 5.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 34.6 g |
| Fat | 5.4 g |
| Fibre | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 9.8 g |
| Sodium | 256 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Banana and egg add potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin D; the flour supplies B vitamins and iron.
Quick Energy from Banana and Egg
Banana, egg and flour give fast, satisfying energy — which is why Bangkok's roti carts are busiest late at night, when people want a quick, warm boost.
Made Fresh, No Preservatives
Made fresh from flour, egg and banana with nothing artificial — the sweetness comes from fruit and condensed milk, not syrups or flavourings.
A Defined, Portion-Controlled Treat
One roti is a defined, portion-controlled treat: about 458 kcal, with 13 g of protein from the egg and real fruit inside, rather than an open-ended bag of sweets.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Fresh Mango or Papaya
Cold, sweet mango and papaya beside a hot, fried pancake give the snack its contrast — the fruit's freshness cuts the richness of the roti.
Drinks
Thai Iced Tea
Thai iced tea is the drink Bangkok's roti carts are paired with: cold, sweet and spiced, it washes down the fried dough without competing with it.
Full Menus
As a Bangkok Night-Market Snack
Eat the roti hot from a night-market cart with iced tea in hand — that is how Bangkok eats it, standing up, straight off the pan.
More Pairings
Coconut Ice Cream
A scoop of coconut ice cream beside the hot roti melts into the crispy edges and turns a snack into a dessert.
Complete menu
Serve the roti hot with Thai iced tea and a plate of cut mango and papaya — the cold tea and fresh fruit balance the sweet, fried pancake.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Drowning It in Extra Condensed Milk
A roti already carries about 21 g of sugar per serving from the banana, condensed milk and sugar topping; piling on more condensed milk turns a snack into a sugar bomb. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Eating Four Roti in One Sitting
One roti is about 458 kcal — a fair snack, but four of them is a full day's worth of sweet food in one sitting. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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