martabak

Martabak enters Indonesian and Malay from Arabic mutabbaq (مطبق, folded), from the root t-b-q (to layer, to fold). In the Arab world, mutabbaq is a folded filled bread. In Indonesia, the word names two entirely different foods. Martabak telur (egg martabak) is a thin dough filled with egg, minced meat, onions, and spices, folded and pan-fried on a griddle. Martabak manis (sweet martabak) is a thick, pancake-like batter cooked in a special round pan, then folded and filled with butter, chocolate sprinkles, cheese, and peanuts.

The savory version traveled from the Middle East through Indian traders — it is closely related to the murtabak found in Singapore, Malaysia, and India. The route was the Indian Ocean trade network that connected the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Southeast Asia for centuries. Yemeni, Hadrami, and Indian Muslim traders brought the technique and the word.

The sweet version appears to be Indonesian in origin — there is no Arab or Indian equivalent. It is sometimes called terang bulan (moonlight), possibly because the round, cratered surface of the cooking martabak resembles the moon. The sweet version is far more popular in Indonesia than the savory one. A martabak manis stand at night, its griddles smoking, is one of the most common sights in any Indonesian city.

The duality of martabak — one word, two entirely different foods — confuses visitors. Ordering 'martabak' without specifying telur or manis is like ordering 'food' without specifying what kind. Indonesians know the distinction instantly. The word split in two, and each half went its own way.