Breads
Murtabak Brunei (Stuffed Savoury Pancake)
Ingredients
- - 300 g Plain flour (2½ cups)
- - 5 g Fine salt (1 tsp)
- - 1 Large egg
- - 150 ml Water, lukewarm (2/3 cup)
- - 100 ml Ghee or neutral oil, plus extra for frying (scant ½ cup)
- - 300 g Minced beef or chicken (10½ oz)
- - 1 Onion, finely diced
- - 3 Garlic cloves, minced
- - 10 g Curry powder (2 tsp)
- - 3 Large eggs, for the filling
- - 3 Spring onions, finely sliced
- - 4 g Fine salt (¾ tsp)
Method
- Make the dough as for roti canai: whisk flour and salt, mix in egg, water and ghee, then knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
- Divide into 4 balls, coat in oil, and rest for at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, fry the onion and garlic in a little oil for 3–4 minutes until soft, then add the minced meat and curry powder, cooking for 8–10 minutes until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and set aside to cool.
- Just before assembling, whisk the eggs for the filling with the spring onions and salt, then stir in the cooked meat mixture.
- Stretch one rested dough ball into a thin sheet on an oiled surface.
- Heat a little oil on the griddle over medium heat and lay the stretched dough onto the hot surface.
- Pour a portion of the egg-and-meat filling into the centre and spread it out slightly, then fold all four sides of the dough over the filling to enclose it into a square parcel.
- Fry for 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until deep golden and crisp on both sides.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Slice into wedges and serve hot with a curry dip.
Introduction: Murtabak is a thick, stuffed relative of roti canai, filled with a spiced minced meat and egg mixture before being folded and pan-fried until crisp on the outside and richly savoury within.
Cultural Background: Murtabak is a thick, stuffed relative of roti canai, filled with a spiced minced meat and egg mixture before being folded and pan-fried until crisp on the outside and richly savoury within. Believed to have originated in Yemen and spread through Indian and Arab trading communities across Southeast Asia, murtabak is now a fixture of Bruneian night markets, often served with a side of pickled onions and a light curry dip.
Tips: Let the filling cool slightly before assembling so it doesn't tear the thin dough. Fold the parcel snugly so the egg filling doesn't leak out during frying. Fry over medium heat rather than high, so the parcel cooks through before the outside burns.
Variations: Use minced lamb or a mix of prawns and egg for the filling. Add diced potato to the meat mixture for a heartier filling. Serve with pickled onions in vinegar for a classic tangy accompaniment. Not traditionally vegetarian, but a mushroom-and-egg filling makes a widely accepted modern substitute.
Storage: Store cooked murtabak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side to re-crisp; avoid microwaving, which makes the pastry soggy.
Nutrition: Per serving (¼ recipe): approx. 480 kcal, 24g protein, 38g carbohydrate, 26g fat.
FAQs:
Q: What’s the difference between roti canai and murtabak?
A: Murtabak uses the same dough but is stuffed with a savoury meat and egg filling and folded into a parcel before frying, while roti canai is left plain.
Q: Can I make a vegetarian murtabak?
A: Yes — replace the minced meat with sautéed mushrooms or mashed potato and keep the egg and spring onion filling.
Q: Why is my murtabak leaking filling?
A: The dough parcel likely wasn’t folded tightly enough; make sure all edges overlap and seal before flipping.