Martabak

(Murtabak, Mutabbaq, مطبق‎‎, มะตะบะ, Mataba)

Martabak is a roti-like stuffed and fried pancake which is often served as a popular street food item in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Although the fillings may vary, some of the most popular ones include ground meat, eggs, garlic, onions, peppers, curry, and ghee.

Fresh herbs such as coriander and mint are often used for additional flavoring. The flatbread dough is supposed to be extremely thin and requires a lot of expertise. Another name for the dish is mutabbaq, an Arabic word meaning folded, referring to the way in which the stretchy dough is folded around the filling during cooking.

The end product is usually shaped like a rectangle, right after it develops a golden brown color on both sides. It is believed that martabak was invented in Yemen and Saudi Arabia around the same time, and as both countries have a large Indian population, it soon spread to other regions of the Arabic world, India, and Persia.

Today, when martabak is not served fresh from street stalls, it can be found in numerous stores in its finished form, while sweet varieties called martabak manis are especially popular - filled with chocolate, peanuts, and sugar.

Yemen

Saudi Arabia

Recipe variations

4.1
Yemeni Martabak
READY IN 1h 15min
The following recipe gives directions on how to make a classic Yemeni martabak filled with minced meat, eggs, leek or green onion, and various spices. Mutton is the most common meat choice in Yemen, although it can be replaced with beef or chicken. The filling can also be enhanced with white cheese.
n/a
Yemeni Martabak with Egg and Vegetable Filling
READY IN 1h 20min
In this vegetarian version of martabak, the savory filling is made with eggs, green onions, and green chilies. However, instead of being enveloped with the dough, the filling is stuffed between the dough layers.
n/a
Saudi Martabak
READY IN 1h
Adapted from the video recipe by the Saudi Food Channel on YouTube, this version of martabak shows the preparation method from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where this dish goes by its Arabic name, mutabbaq or mutabbag.
4.1
Indonesian Martabak Telur
READY IN 50min
Adapted from indonesian-food-recipes.com, this recipe shows how to make Indonesian-style martabak with a savory filling, known as martabak telur.
n/a
Indonesian Martabak Manis
READY IN 35min
The sweet version of martabak, called martabak manis, is especially popular in Indonesia, where it is filled with chocolate, butter, peanuts, condensed milk, and even cheese. In this case, the dough is made with yeast and has a texture similar to the one of a pancake batter. This recipe was adapted from whattocooktoday.com.
n/a
Singapore-Style Martabak
READY IN 55min
This recipe was adapted from singaporelocalfavourites.com and shows the martabak preparation method in Singapore. The filling is richly seasoned with ginger, chili, turmeric, garam masala, and coriander leaves, and the martabak itself is cooked in ghee.

Martabak Authentic recipe

PREP 30min

COOK 45min

READY IN 1h 15min

The following recipe gives directions on how to make a classic Yemeni martabak filled with minced meat, eggs, leek or green onion, and various spices. Mutton is the most common meat choice in Yemen, although it can be replaced with beef or chicken. The filling can also be enhanced with white cheese.

VIEW RECIPE