This snack seems so popular for some fancy restaurants di Indonesia. But why is it so popular with the western term and not local one. Bawang putih litterally means white garlic for common garlic, and Bawang Merah or red garlic for shallot. Roti Bawang (garlic bread) then, would sounds trivial like krupuk bawang and kacang bawang. And also we do have some pejorative meaning with anak bawang - means something considered not so seriously.
Meanwhile, Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih are definitely popular in Indonsian fairy tale. The role of Bawang Putih simply represents Cinderella in local tale. Just like the mainstream story and plot in children story book, you need the hero to end the story. And we all hope the good will defeat the bad. So that we are so happy that finally Bawang Putih appear win the contest.
Was it Bawang Putih represent the good one just like Cinderella? But if it is so, then why is the Bawang Putih itself is not considered important? What a paradox, when we recently considered the bad things seriously and no the good? We do live not in Cinderella era anymore, I guess. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story may represent us even better nowadays.