As a favorite Indonesian snack, egg martabak has an interesting history. Egg martabak is adapted from Indian cuisine and gets a local twist.
Egg martabak is very popular in Indonesia. Made from flour dough as the skin and then stuffed with a mixture of eggs, minced meat, sliced leeks, onions, garlic, and other seasonings.
The hallmark of egg martabak is the crispy and savory skin, while the soft inside. Usually egg martabak is made from duck eggs because it tastes more savory and has a more fragrant aroma.
Although known as a typical Indonesian snack, did you know that egg martabak was adapted from Indian cuisine? Chef Wira Hardiyansyah told the story.
Quoted by detikfood from Instagram wirahardiyansyah2.0 (19/7) with his permission, he said the history of egg martabak can be seen from the influence of India on various Indonesian cultures.
"The influence of India has been seen in the archipelago since the first century. During the spread of Islam, many immigrants from Gujarat came to the archipelago. This also affected the gastronomic culture," he wrote, starting the story.
Flatbread, for example, has been around for thousands of centuries BC. This thin bread dish is also famous in India. There are several types of famous flatbreads such as capati, rotti, and paratha.
"From India, the culture (flatbread) has spread. From Gujarat, India has spread to various countries. The Gujarats, who are mostly Muslims, often interact with Arabs. This is the origin of civilization, the term "martabak" began," said Wira.
Martabak is said to have come from the Arabic word 'murtabak' or 'mutabbaq' which means 'fold'. This is in accordance with the shape of the martabak which is folded like an envelope.
Wira explained, "Martabak originating from India spread through trade to Southeast Asia. Apart from Indonesia, martabak can also be found in other countries."
In some areas, egg martabak is served with its authenticity, namely using a complement of pickles and curry sauce. "Or there has been acculturation by adding vinegar according to Sumatran culture," he said.
The history of egg martabak in Indonesia cannot be separated from the events of 1950. In the past, there were still many Indonesians who used the name of the country as their trade name.
For example, Indian martabak, Egyptian martabak, Kubang, and Arabic. "(However) since the 1950 conflict with India, egg martabak sellers no longer refer to their merchandise as Indian martabak or genuine Indian martabak, only Egyptian, Kubang and Arab martabak," concluded Wira.