By, Muizzuddin Durrani Mohd Nazar and Muhammad Hamzah Abu Samah
Imagine walking down through a festival seeing booths left and right, with the aroma of many dishes filling the air. One smell, in particular, will catch your attention, the aroma of spices paired with the sizzling sound of crispy dough.
There is no doubt this is Murtabak by Mat Murtabak.
What is murtabak? Popular in Southeast Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, the dish varies in terms of name and recipe. Depending on the location, the word ‘Mutabbaq’ means ‘folded’ in Arabic, according to the website, Penang Travel Tips. In Malaysia, the mouth-watering meat foldovers is commonly found in Muslim Indian restaurants and street stalls, mentions the travel blog, All Points East.
Just mention Mat Murtabak, everyone in Gombak knows who this famous Mat Murtabak is. Mat Murtabak was formed in 1985 by Tuan Mat and is now managed by the daughter, Tuan Mus Erma, after she finished her studies in 2005. Since its establishment, Mat Murtabak, has been sold in several places in the Gombak district; in front of Al-Syakirin Mosque, in a shop lot, night markets and does catering everyday, according to IIUMToday.
There are different types of murtabak offered by Mat Murtabak, which is the normal murtabak standard-sized murtabak, murtabak mozzarella cheeses, murtabak king which is a bigger and thicker than the normal type, murtabak king cheeses, murtabak Singapore and normal frozen murtabak and murtabak with cheese. Because of the alluring smell, no wonder it catches the attention of many.
The main ingredients of murtabak are minced meat (usually beef or chicken), onions, egg, and spices. The spices used in murtabak include cumin, coriander, turmeric, and pepper. The filling is usually wrapped in dough made from flour, water, and oil. The dough is then stretched and flattened into a thin layer before the filling is added, according to Munch Malaysia.
With murtabak being a well-known dish traditionally filled with either chicken or beef. What sets Mat Murtabak apart from others is that it also has the frozen version so people can heat it at home whenever they crave for it. They also have an innovative twist in the menu by adding cheese to the murtabak, enhancing the flavours and texture.
A simple yet hardy dish, with meat and egg as the protein and spices for aroma and flavour blanket with a layer of dough then fried to a crisp then finally dipping it in either a savory curry sauce or eating it with picked onion, a mouthwatering sensation.
As claimed by many customers, the dish is tasty and has reasonable prices.
Customers tend to repeat orders from Mat Murtabak. “The murtabak is nice and the fillings are flavourful and juicy…Done repeat order,” claims one of the customer reviews on Facebook. Another customer review states, “This is the best MURTABAK in Gombak.”
Mat Murtabak will be available at the upcoming Gombak Food Festival 3.0 from 6 to 7 January 2026, located at Human Sciences square, IIUM Gombak. So do not miss the chance to grab the famous Murabak by Mat Murtabak! The aim of the festival is to empower and support entrepreneurs from amongst persons with disabilities (PwDs) and those who are based in Gombak.
Mat Murtabak can be reached through WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, which uses the handle: @matmurtabakgombakhq.***
(This advertorial is a part of assessment from a course, COMM 2312 Basic of Writing)
