Tasty Indian-style crepes and bread in Medan

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

They are crispy, and definitely tasty. That's how most people describe martabak India, a kind of thick, fried Indian crepe filled with spices and small pieces of meat, and roti cane, a flat pancake cooked on a griddle, which is eaten with curry sauce.

One of the most famous areas where one can find these particular treats in Medan is in Kampung Keling along Jl. Zainul Arifin, an area inhabited by many Tamils whose ancestors came from India to Medan.

The food is loved by almost everyone and the prices are cheap, given that it does not cost too much to make it.

There are various kinds of martabak sold in different locations, but the one which stands out for its special taste is martabak India, or martabak Keling, whose name is taken from the nickname for dark-skinned Indians.

According to Ibu Sun, a 49-year-old vendor of martabak India and roti cane in Kampung Keling, martabak India is prepared in almost the same way as martabak Kairo (Cairo), martabak Bangka or any of the other varieties of martabak. The main difference, however, is that the Indian version, after being kneaded in water containing salt, it is then flapped on a table for three hours before being formed into small slabs. The slabs are then finally folded to the desired size.

Other crepes, like the Bangka or Kairo varieties, are immediately cooked in a pan after being kneaded and mixed with a flavoring, such as nuts, chocolate and raisins.

Sun further explained that martabak India contains special ingredients like coriander, fine caraway seeds, pepper, ginger, garlic and onion -- all of which are often referred to as the ingredients of biryani rice. All these ingredients are then mixed with boiled potatoes, which have been cut into thin slices. They are then fried on a pan smeared with butter.

The Indian crepe is also cheaper compared to the other kinds of crepes. In Medan, a portion is priced at Rp 4,000 while the others may reach up to Rp 10,000 each, depending on the requested flavor.

Roti cane (pronounced "canaay") is another speciality sold by ethnic Tamils in Medan. Normally, to make martabak India more delicious, it is eaten together with roti cane. That is why roti cane is always sold together with martabak India.

Sun said that the way roti cane was prepared was quite different from other breads. Martabak India relies on salt and water, while to make roti cane, one needed butter, eggs and the soft drink Sprite to give the bread its unique taste. "The preparation process is still the same. Before it is heated, it has to be flapped over the table to form slabs," Sun said.

The way roti cane is served is different. Usually, it is eaten with mutton curry. But the curry is not the sort you will find in restaurants. This curry contains ginger, fine caraway seeds, garlic and onion, coriander and dried chili.

These type of businesses can actually be quite profitable, and can even generate the moderate amount of capital required to set other similar businesses.

Sun, who has been in the trade for 15 years, said that she needed around Rp 200,000 to prepare her martabak and Rp 60,000 for her roti cane every day. With this sort of money, she can produce at least 200 pieces of roti cane and martabak. For cooking utensils and renting space, she has spent around one million rupiah.

"So with a capital of just one million rupiah, you are ready to set up a martabak business," Sun said.

Selling the food is not difficult as it is not only enjoyed by the Tamils, but is now a favorite of almost everybody.

Apart from her retail sales, Sun often gets orders from star- rated hotels, such as the Hotel Tiara Medan. "Sometimes I get a huge order, like 300 pieces in one day," she said.

The mother of four revealed that within half a year, the business has given her handsome profits. "Just by selling 25 to 50 portions per day, I can recoup my daily capital outlay. The rest of the money I make is my profit," she said.

If she cannot sell all of her stock, the raw materials can still be used the next day as they do not become stale.

Housewife Arniwati said she loved both martabak India and roti cane because of their unique taste. However, she felt they tasted better when prepared by an Indian. "I don't know why, when they are cooked by a non-Indian, the taste is not as nice," Arniwati commented.

Commenting on the difference in taste, Sun modestly said it was probably due to a different kneading technique.