Easy Summer Menu: Baked Martabak (Martabak Panggang)

Summer is almost here! Time to slow down and enjoy the gorgeous days. As we ease into the warmest season of the year, I plan to stay cool and light in both what I wear and what I cook/eat.  So for food, I am compiling recipes that might go well with my idea of summer menu: simple, light, and delicious. One dish that I thought about immediately was martabak, one of my favorite street food in Indonesia.

Recently, inspired by a recipe I found online, I baked martabak instead of following the street vendor’s traditional way: frying (less oil mess, less stress). They came out crispy and delicious.

Here’s my version:

(Make 8-10 martabak)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs
• 1 pound of sirloin ground beef
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 3 bunches of scallions (chopped)
• 1 egg for eggwash
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper powder
• Salt

STEPS

Making the mixture:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium pan (over medium heat)
• Add garlic and let it sizzle for two minutes.
• Add curry powder, cayenne pepper powder, and salt. Mix together with the garlic.
• Add ground beef and mix it with the spices.
• Dump the juice from the meat and let the beef continue to brown.
• Taste and add spices if necessary.
• Add the chopped scallions, mix them up with the beef, and set the pan aside.

Folding the martabak:

• Pick up 3 fillo dough sheets for each piece of martabak, brush with the rest of vegetable oil, scoop the beef mixture, and add to the middle of the sheets. Repeat.
• Place the folded martabak on a greased oven tray, brush the top with eggwash, and place into the oven for 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
• Let them rest for a couple of minutes, cut in the middle, and serve. (I made mine a bit bigger and then I cut them before serving).
• Serve with Thai peppers (optional).

  

More to come later!