Martabak Telur Kulit Lumpia
(mar-TAH-bahk TEH-loor koo-LIT LOOM-pee-yah)
Kumpul Keluarga (The Weekend Feast & Gathering)
Slide a supermarket spring roll wrapper into a wide skillet, fold the edges inward, let the egg-and-scallion filling hiss, and the air hits you like an Indonesian street cart at dusk—a savory freight train of spiced beef, frying scallions, and hot oil. Lean on the domestic secret of Indonesian grandmothers: wheat-based spring roll wrappers and a heavy hit of yellow curry powder. This is exactly how families eat martabak at home. Keep the heat steady, work fast, and eat it while the crust still burns your fingers.
Before you start
Make the Kuah Cuko dipping sauce.
In a small saucepan, simmer the water, brown sugar, tamarind paste, one tablespoon of the vinegar, sweet soy sauce, smashed garlic, chilies, and a half teaspoon of salt until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let cool.
Prepare the Acar pickles.
Toss the diced cucumber, carrot, and shallots in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon of vinegar, sugar, and a quarter teaspoon of salt, then refrigerate until needed.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1/2 med
- garlic3 small clove
- ground beef1/2 lb
- yellow curry powder1 tbsp
- ground white pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- beef bouillon powder1/2 tsp
- eggs4 large
- scallions6 med
- wheat-based spring roll pastry1 package
- vegetable oil1 cup
- water1 1/2 cup
- dark brown sugar3 tbsp
- tamarind paste1 tbsp
- white vinegar2 tbsp
- sweet soy sauce1 tbsp
- garlic1 small clove
- bird's eye chilies2 small
- kosher salt3/4 tsp
- Persian cucumber1 med
- carrot1/2 med
- shallots2 med
- sugar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the minced onion and garlic until translucent, then add the ground beef and break it into very small crumbles.
- 02
Spice and dry the meat.
Stir in the curry powder, white pepper, one teaspoon of kosher salt, and bouillon powder, cooking vigorously until the beef is deeply browned and absolutely all liquid has evaporated.
- 03
Cool the meat completely.
Transfer the beef mixture to a large bowl and let it reach room temperature so it doesn't prematurely scramble the raw eggs when mixed.
- 04
Create the matrix.
Crack the eggs directly into the cooled beef, add the massive pile of sliced scallions, and beat aggressively with a fork until everything is uniformly suspended in the liquid.
- 05
Architect the parcels.
Lay a spring roll wrapper flat like a diamond, place three tablespoons of the liquid filling in the center, and quickly fold the bottom, sides, and top inward to create a tightly sealed rectangular envelope.
- 06
Shallow fry the martabak.
Heat a quarter-inch of oil in a wide skillet over medium heat, gently slide the parcels in seam-side down, and fry for two to three minutes per side until the wrapper is rigid, deeply golden, and blistered.
- 07
Slice and serve immediately.
Cut the hot parcels into smaller squares with a heavy knife or cleaver and serve right away with the dark, tangy dipping sauce and crunchy pickles.
Notes
Double the wrappers for insurance.
If your wrappers are unusually thin or the raw egg mixture begins to seep through before you reach the pan, stack two wrappers together before filling to ensure the parcel doesn't tear.
Do not substitute the wrappers.
You must use the square, wheat-based spring roll wrappers found in the Asian freezer aisle; thick Chinese-American egg roll wrappers or translucent Vietnamese rice paper will completely ruin the dish.