Murtabak

Lore & Background

The earliest known recipes for muṭbaq appear in the 13th-century Abbasid work Kitab al-Tabikh by Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi, describing a sweet filling between two layers of bread. The Arabic name mutabbaq means 'folded,' and the dish likely originated in Yemen, where a sizeable Indian population existed, and was carried to Southeast Asia by Tamil Muslim traders. In the 17th century, Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi noted spiced mutabbak in Anatolia and Egypt, a thin dough pastry cooked in a tandoor, which food historian Priscilla Mary Işın compared to gözleme.

Reader's Guide

Murtabak's significance lies in its widespread adaptation across continents, from the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia, reflecting historical trade and migration routes. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is a staple of mamak stalls, often served with curry and pickled onions. Indonesia distinguishes between martabak telur (savory egg version) and martabak manis (sweet, yeast-leavened pancake). Variants include potato-stuffed martabak in Sumatra, cheese-topped versions in South Africa, and za'atar-filled muttabaq in Palestine. The dish's versatility—from street food to home cooking—and its ability to incorporate local ingredients (e.g., instant noodles in Indonesia) underscore its enduring popularity. Despite regional differences, the core concept of folded dough with filling remains constant, making murtabak a global comfort food.

Did You Know?

• The name 'mutabbaq' means 'folded' in Arabic.
• A 13th-century Abbasid cookbook contains two recipes for muṭbaq with sweet filling.
• In Indonesia, 'martabak' refers to both a savory egg version and a sweet pancake called martabak manis.
• Some Indonesian martabak vendors use instant noodles like Indomie or Samyang as a topping.