Murtabak (Malaysian Stuffed Pan-Fried Flatbread with Spiced Beef and Egg)

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Murtabak is a popular Malaysian pan-fried flatbread stuffed with spiced ground beef and egg.

The process begins by kneading wheat flour, water, salt, and oil to form a smooth dough, which is rested for thirty minutes to ensure it can be stretched thin. The filling is prepared by cooking ground beef and onion with curry powder until dry, which prevents the flatbread from becoming soggy. To assemble, the dough is stretched paper-thin with oiled hands, topped with the beef mixture, and a raw egg is added before folding the sides into a square. The flatbread is cooked in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until both sides turn golden and crisp. The result is a multi-layered pastry with a crispy shell and a moist, savory core. It is cut into pieces and served with curry sauce or chutney.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

all-purpose flour220 gg

water130 mlml

salt½ tsptsp

cooking oil3 tbsptbsp

ground beef180 gg

onion½ eaea

egg2 eaea

curry powder1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Knead 200g flour with 110ml water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp oil for 8 minutes until smooth, then cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
2

Control

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, then stir-fry minced onion and 150g ground beef over medium heat for 5 minutes until the meat browns and moisture evaporates.
3

Season

Season with 1 tsp curry powder and salt, stir well, turn off the heat, and cool for 5 minutes before adding the eggs to prevent scrambling.
4

Step

Stretch the dough with oiled hands as thin as possible, place the meat filling in the center, crack in 1 egg, then fold all four sides to form a square parcel.
5

Control

Cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat, pressing gently, for 3-4 minutes per side until both surfaces are golden and crispy.
6

Heat

Transfer to a cutting board, cut into 4 to 6 pieces, and check that the egg and beef filling is cooked through before serving.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Murtabak features paper-thin dough folded around a hearty filling of curry-spiced beef and eggs.
Finish cue: Transfer to a cutting board, cut into 4 to 6 pieces, and check that the egg and beef filling is cooked through before serving.
Avoid this: The filling is prepared by cooking ground beef and onion with curry powder until dry, which prevents the flatbread from becoming soggy.