Murtabak

Name: Murtabak
Cook time: 125 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 500g All-purpose Flour; 1 Large Eggs; 260ml Water, add as needed for a soft dough; 2 tbsp Ghee; 1 tsp Fine Salt; 1 tsp Sugar; 200ml Neutral Oil, for resting/soaking the dough balls; 400g Minced Beef; 1 Large Onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Malaysian Meat Curry Powder; 1 tsp Ground Coriander; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric; 1/2 tsp White Pepper; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 tsp Fine Salt, to taste; 1 1/2 tbsp Neutral Oil, for sautéing; 2 stalks of Spring Onion, thinly sliced; 4 Large Eggs, beaten separately; 2 1/2 tbsp Ghee, plus more as needed; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 1 Small Onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 sprig of Curry Leaves; 2 tbsp Malaysian Meat Curry Powder; 250ml Water; 200ml Coconut Milk; 1 tsp Tamarind Paste, mixed with warm water; 1 tsp Sugar

Murtabak is a flaky, golden stuffed pancake filled with fragrant spiced minced beef and egg — crisp on the outside and tenderly savory inside. Serve it with a rich, slightly tangy coconut-tamarind curry and quick pickled red onions for bright contrast. It’s comfort food with bold Southeast Asian flavors, perfect for sharing.

Murtabak is a flaky, golden stuffed pancake filled with fragrant spiced minced beef and egg — crisp on the outside and tenderly sa... Show more

Traditional Malaysian Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

4.2

Time

2 hrs

Price

1,59 €

Calories

1557 kcal

high protein

low sugar

comfort food

potluck

Method

Quick-pickle onions

Thinly slice the Medium Red Onion and, if you like a little heat, the optional Bird's Eye Chilies. Put them in a bowl, pour over the White Vinegar, Water, Sugar, and Fine Salt, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave them to stand for 20 minutes while you make the dough; the onions should turn bright pink and lightly softened.

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, combine the All-purpose Flour, Fine Salt, and Sugar. Make a well in the center, add the Large Eggs and the Ghee, then pour in the water a little at a time, mixing with your hand or a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for about 8 minutes, adding only enough extra water to keep the dough soft, until it feels smooth, supple, and just slightly tacky.

Oil and rest dough

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls, then coat each ball in plenty of Neutral Oil so every surface is slick. Set them in a bowl, cover, and rest for 60 minutes. Use this time to cook the filling and gravy. The dough should relax and become easy to stretch thin without tearing.

Cook the filling

Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped Large Onion and minced Garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened. Add the Minced Beef, Malaysian Meat Curry Powder, Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, Ground Turmeric, White Pepper, sugar, and fine salt, breaking the meat up well as it cooks. Stir and fry until the beef is browned, the spices smell deep and toasty, and the pan looks almost dry, then fold in the thinly sliced Spring Onion. Spread the filling out and let it cool until just warm so it is easier to pack into the dough.

Simmer the gravy

Warm the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped Small Onion, minced Garlic, and Curry Leaves, and cook for a minute or two until the onion softens and the leaves crackle. Stir in the Malaysian Meat Curry Powder for about 30 seconds, then add the water, Coconut Milk, Tamarind Paste, sugar, and fine salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the gravy is lightly thickened and glossy.

Shape the parcels

Lightly oil your hands and the work surface, then divide the rested dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch it from the center outward into a very thin square or round; if it resists, let it relax for a moment and try again. Spoon a quarter of the beef filling into the middle, add a quarter of the beaten eggs, and fold the dough up from all four sides to make a neat sealed packet. Keep the unused dough covered with oil while you work so it stays soft and elastic.

Fry until crisp

Heat a generous layer of Ghee in a wide skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Slide in one parcel seam-side down and fry for 4 minutes, pressing gently so the layers seal and the bottom turns deep golden. Flip carefully, add more ghee as needed, and fry for 4 minutes more on the second side until the murtabak is crisp, blistered, and evenly browned. Work in batches if necessary so the pan stays hot.

Serve hot

Cut the murtabak into squares or wedges and serve immediately with the pickled onions and a bowl of curry gravy for dipping. The crust should still be crisp, the filling fragrant, and the onions sharp enough to cut through the richness.