Ingredients

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• Batter: 1 cup (125 g) Petley Grain Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) warm milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• Toppings: 2 tbsp butter, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts
• 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup shredded mild cheddar or mozzarella (optional, traditional)
• ¼ tsp baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp water (step 2)
• 1 tsp sugar for sprinkling (step 4)

At the table

• · Strong Indonesian coffee or sweet tea

Method

1. 1Whisk the Petley Grain Mix, milk, egg, and sugar into a smooth, pourable batter. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
2. 2Stir ¼ tsp baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp water into the rested batter.
3. 3Preheat a heavily buttered, thick cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Pour in half the batter, swirling slightly up the edges to build a rim.
4. 4Cook uncovered 4–5 minutes until large bubbles cover the surface. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar, cover, and cook 2–3 minutes more until set.
5. 5Remove to a board. Spread with butter, scatter chocolate, peanuts, and cheese, and drizzle with condensed milk. Fold in half, slice, and serve warm.

The story

Martabak manis is the sweet member of a pair of Indonesian foods that share a name without sharing the same construction. It is a thick pancake filled or folded with rich toppings; martabak telur is a separate savory preparation involving egg and a thin wrapper. The word manis means sweet. In parts of Indonesia the sweet pancake is also called terang bulan, a name associated with moonlight. Accounts connect the sweet pancake with Chinese-Indonesian food traditions, especially the Bangka region, and with related filled pancakes elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The details of invention and naming vary across sources, so a single military legend or exact arrival date should not be treated as settled history. Its present identity is clear enough: a pan-cooked pancake with a porous crumb and a generous filling. Chocolate sprinkles, peanuts, butter, condensed milk, and mild grated cheese are familiar options. Cheese may surprise a visitor expecting a strictly sweet dessert, yet the combination is part of the snack’s appeal. Recipes vary in how they raise the batter, so not every version is yeast-based. Street vendors and home cooks both prize the balance between the browned base, springy interior, and toppings melted into the warm cake before it is folded and cut into substantial pieces.