Destination
Singapore
The story
Murtabak is Singapore's most-loved Indian-Muslim (mamak) late-night snack: a thin, elastic roti prata dough is stretched paper-thin on an oiled counter, spooned with a filling of spiced minced mutton (or chicken, or beef), sautéed onion and beaten egg, folded into a large square parcel and pan-fried on a hot flat griddle with a splash of ghee until the outside is deep golden and crackly. Sold at every Singaporean prata shop and 24-hour Indian-Muslim café, especially along Serangoon Road in Little India (The Original Sinai Ramp Ka Café, Zam Zam and Victory Restaurant are the standard bearers). Served with a small dish of tangy chicken curry gravy or dhal for dipping, plus a cool sliced onion and cucumber pickle on the side.
Method
Whisk flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, ghee and warm milk. Combine wet and dry. Knead 10 minutes until very smooth, elastic and slightly sticky. Divide into 6 balls. Oil each ball heavily with ghee and place in a container so they're submerged in oil. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is better).
Warm ghee in a pan. Cook onions 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chilies. Cook 60 seconds. Add all ground spices, toast 60 seconds. Add mince, break up, brown 8 minutes. Cook another 5 minutes to reduce any liquid. Off the heat, fold in coriander, mint and lime. Cool completely. Divide into 6 portions.
Warm oil, cook onion 5 minutes, add garlic 60 seconds. Add curry powder and flour, cook 60 seconds. Whisk in stock gradually. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened. Add coconut milk if using, salt and sugar. Keep warm.
Oil a large flat counter or work surface. Take a dough ball. Using oiled palms, press and stretch outward from the centre until the dough is paper-thin and translucent (about 40 x 40cm). Repair holes by pinching. First 2 will tear — persevere.
In a bowl, mix one portion of the mutton filling with a lightly-beaten egg and a spoon of chopped onion. Spread this mixture in a rough 15 x 15cm square in the middle of the stretched dough. Fold the four sides of the dough over the filling to make a large square parcel, sealing the edges.
Warm 1 tbsp ghee on a large heavy flat pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Place the folded murtabak on the pan. Cook 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until deep golden and crackly. Add more ghee as needed. Repeat for the other 5.
Slide onto a chopping board and cut into 6 squares with a heavy knife. Serve immediately with curry gravy in a small bowl for dipping, plus sliced pickled onion, cucumber and lime wedges. Eat with fingers.
For chicken murtabak: replace mutton with minced chicken. For a sardine version (a Singapore classic): use tinned sardines, drained and flaked, in place of half the meat. For vegetarian: substitute paneer or crumbled tofu.
Tips
- Very wet, oil-soaked dough. This is what allows the paper-thin stretch. The oil bath during the rest is not optional.
- Long rest. Four hours minimum, overnight is markedly better. Under-rested dough tears when you try to stretch it.
- Practice the stretch. First 2 murtabak will have tears. By the 4th you'll be stretching cleanly. Do not give up on the technique.
- Cook the filling completely dry. Wet filling makes the dough go soggy and split during folding. Cook until the filling holds together but is not runny.
- Hot pan, not too hot. Medium-high is the target. Too hot and the outside burns before the filling heats through; too cool and the dough turns soggy instead of crackly.
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