Authentic Martabak Recipe Yemen, Asia
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Crispy on the outside and richly stuffed on the inside, martabak is one of the most popular street food dishes across the Western and South-Eastern Asia. Even though it seems simple at first glance, its preparation — if done traditionally — requires some serious skill. When it comes to savory martabak, the first step is to knead flour, salt, water, oil or ghee, and sometimes eggs, into a soft dough. After resting for a while wrapped in plastic foil or soaked in oil, the dough is divided into individual portions which will be turned into thin, roti-like pancakes. Traditionally, small balls of dough are pressed into flat discs and then tossed in the air until they become very thin and almost transparent. Martabak street vendors tend to turn this process into a show for the passers-by, while an at-home preparation suggests merely rolling the dough with a rolling pin. The filling is prepared by mixing sautéed ingredients — usually, onions, garlic, shallots, and ... Read more
Cooking tips
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dough
The typical dough for savory martabak is made with flour, salt, oil or ghee, and water, which are kneaded into a soft, elastic concoction. The water is poured in gradually until the desired texture is reached. Eggs can be added occasionally, but this is more of an exception than it is a rule. The dough should rest for 30 minutes to 3 hours in a warm place, preferably covered with a plastic wrap or ... Read more -
meat
If you choose to make a meat-filled martabak, use ground or minced meat. Mutton, beef, and chicken are the most common choices. The meat should be sautéed in a frying pan with some onions, shallots, and garlic until browned, after which it is mixed with other filling ingredients. -
eggs
Whisked raw eggs are usually mixed with other fillings as a binding ingredient, and they are cooked after martabak has been assembled and placed on a hot griddle. Apart from chicken eggs, duck eggs are also commonly used, especially in Indonesia. -
vegetables
Finely chopped green onions, shallots, onions, and garlic are present in most martabak recipes – they can either be sautéed shortly in a frying pan, or used raw. Diced fresh tomato is common as well, while various types of chili peppers and diced potatoes are typical in South-East Asian varieties of this dish. -
seasonings
Besides with salt and pepper, the filling can be seasoned with a whole array of spices, such as cumin, coriander, chili powder, ginger, curry, and turmeric. -
sweet fillings
Martabak manis or sweet martabak is filled with butter, chocolate spread or sprinkles, condensed milk, peanuts, and even shredded cheese, which are sprinkled on the surface. After that, martabak is folded and cut into wedges, and sometimes brushed with some additional butter. -
cooking
After it has been assembled, savory martabak is cooked on both sides in a non-stick frying pan or a cast-iron griddle on some hot vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter). Shorter cooking will result in a softer martabak, or you can prolong the cooking until the dough becomes crispy. -
serving
Before being served, martabak is usually cut into small squares. It can be accompanied with lime or lemon wedges, a dipping sauce consisting or vinegar and pickled shallots or onions, tomato sauce, or even ketchup.
Recipe variations
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Yemeni Martabak
Ready in 1h 15minThe 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.
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Indonesian Martabak Manis
Ready in 35minThe 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.
Yemeni Martabak with Egg and Vegetable Filling
PREP 20min
COOK 1h
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.
Ingredients
Yemeni Martabak with Egg and Vegetable Filling
DOUGH
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
water
FILLING
2-3 eggs
4 green onions
1 handful cilantro
1 green chili pepper
salt, to taste
Preparation
Yemeni Martabak with Egg and Vegetable Filling
Start by making the dough. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and oil. Gradually add water and knead until you get a soft and smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes under a kitchen cloth.
In the meantime, prepare the filling. Chop the green onions, cilantro, and green chili pepper finely. Whisk the eggs, mix them with chopped vegetables, and season with salt.
After the dough has rested, divide it 12 portions, and form them into balls. Roll out each ball into a small circle. Stack four dough circles on top of each other. When stacking, drizzle the first, second, and third circle with 1 tbsp of oil and sprinkle with a little flour, but do not apply oil and flour on top of the last one. Cover the dough and let it rest.
While the dough is resting, heat a large, flat pan over high heat.
Now, roll out the dough circles until they are very thin. Place each circle on a hot pan until it starts puffing up. Turn it over until it starts puffing up again, then pull the two layers apart with your hands. Remove from pan, and repeat with the remaining dough.
Place 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and heat it up. Return the bottom dough layer onto the pan, oil it lightly, and spread the filling on top. Cover with the top dough layer and cook on both sides until browned evenly. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Serve hot with Yemeni tea.
Other Variations
-
Yemeni Martabak
Ready in 1h 15minThe 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.
-
Indonesian Martabak Manis
Ready in 35minThe 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.
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