Well, it's actually Roti Canai, pronounced Chennai, after the
region in India where these flat breads originate from. But when I first saw
that spelling ‘can I’ has always stuck in my head, as though it was always a
good time to ask for one. Little else elicits more comments and likes on my
facebook posts (even more so than my cat and renovation photos) than a snap of
a crispy roti with a side bowl of curry. Friends, relatives and ex-Islanders
who have tasted the delights of Christmas Island roti and no longer have
regular access express their frustration and in some cases, direct abuse at me
for showing such a photo.
I recall a discussion at work after I had not long moved to
the island. My colleague was trying to convince me of the virtues of roti and
how it was eaten, tearing the bread apart and using it to scoop up the curry
sauce served on the side. As I stared incredulously at her, my reaction was
similar to those I have subsequently tried to indoctrinate into the cult of
roti…’Curry? For breakfast?!’
But, like all things that you aren’t supposed to have too
much of, these little flat breads full of flour, condensed milk, margarine and
then grilled with lots of oil are moreish…..and dangerously addictive.
They are usually available at one of the Malay cafes in the
Kampong, but over the years these businesses have changed ownership and
premises, and opened and closed, and you may invariably find yourself in an
illicit roti kitchen in someone’s garage, getting your fix. No signage, no
advertising, no fancy seating or decor, but a 30 minute wait with a queue down
the driveway as word had spread around the island that a roti ‘den’ was in
operation.
But for many ex residents, our local food experiences form
some of their favourite memories of the island - all stemming from our unique
and preserved mix of living Malay, Chinese and European cultures. Malay cafes
and food stalls serving a range of delicious mouth- watering dishes, with a
queue for homemade chicken satays that would rival a waiting line for the
latest iphone release. Little noodle shops in tucked away places, with barely a
menu on display, but everyone knowing what day of the week it was and what was
the only meal option being served. Our Noodle House being full of a lunch time,
with a man behind the counter who literally squiggled your order in a hand
drawn window on a sheet of paper, using no names or table numbers, and somehow
your Bee Hoon miraculously finding its way to you. Another gent in long black
pants and a collared shirt in the kitchen, manning 2 flaming woks, flinging
ingredients in and tossing them all with gusto, then flipping them onto a dish
in a matter of minutes – displaying all
the flair and grace of a gifted showman.
As a small and remote island, Christmas Island has always
had its challenges feeding its populace. A small cemetery on the island full of
poor souls who perished with beriberi during early settlement is testament to
that fact. In an unjust irony, Christmas Island was settled for the mining and
exporting of rock phosphate, a slow release fertiliser. But our topsoil is
deficient of much needed nitrogen and it is therefore challenging, or
impossible, to grow conventional fruits and vegetables. Coupled with a drier than
usual tropical environment and a lack of infrastructure, we have not been able
to establish farming on any scale that could afford us self-sufficiency, and we
are reliant on much of our foodstuffs being shipped and flown in, at great
expense.
In the early days of settlement, low paid staff were heavily
reliant on foodstuffs supplied to them by the British Phosphate Company. These
basic supplies were also a means to control the working populace. Misbehaviour
and disobedience could see ones rations reduced - stale items and white rice,
long shipped to the island and stored for months, providing very little
nutrition and sustenance.
To supplement their diet, the labourers caught fish and
hunted easy to catch imperial pigeons and our large land crabs, the Robber crab.
The pigeons faced extinction with the unsustainable numbers being poached and
the authorities had to take harsh steps, fining people if caught with the birds
in their possession.
Another way was to establish hidden gardens. Fresh herbs, chillies,
lime trees, banana palms and papayas would be secretly grown on the edge of
settlements, or areas near where there was mining activity. These subversive
gardens undermined the power the corporation had over its workforce and would
be destroyed if found and its’ owner punished, possibly with deportation. To
this day, dotted around the island are the remnants of these long abandoned
gardens. Lime trees, chilli bushes and banana palms provide the present day
island inhabitants with a bit of ‘jungle shopping’ and the occasional surprise
bounty whilst out exploring.
In recent years, a scientific study established in
partnership between a West Australian university, the Phosphate mine and
private enterprise, has identified a solution to the nitrogen deficiency -
growing crops of legumes and then ploughing them back into the soil, in
preparation for growing other crops. A small lease is under development, with
some crops being commercialised early 2016. An aquaculture venture is also
under development, which will enable better hydroponic options, and a supply of
freshwater fish.
As Christmas Island looks to diversify its economy to
embrace tourism, we won’t be in a position compete with the gourmet food
regions around Australia for some time yet. And whilst the residents wait to
see what the future brings with these new ventures, we will no doubt continue
to make the most of our unique food culture, embracing the roti, Nasi Lemak, Wanton
Wednesday, Fish ball Friday, Pork Rice Saturday and Chicken Rice Sunday and be
thankful that we have access to these tasty and varied food options in such a
small and remote dot in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Article by Lisa Preston ©
