Murtabak With The Goodies

If you think making roti canai is hard , I'll tell you " it's not". So making murtabak is just a little more involved. You'll need to start the roti dough the night before. It's basically a juicy meat filled roti, some of my friends called it an asian meat pie. Well at least I know what's in it :), and for around $12 you get 7 pieces. What a bargain !

Just one more thing, please get rid of all your roti canai recipes that required sugar, margarine, egg or condensed milk now ! and i do mean now before the roti police arrives.
This is a recipe from my dear friend K in K.L whose parents used to run a very successful Indian eatery.

for the filling;

500g minced lamb ( you may use chicken or beef )

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green chili, sliced

1 carrot, peeled, cubed and parboiled

1/2 cup of garden peas

10 curry leaves

4 tbs of Malaysian meat curry paste and 1 tbs of chili powder, made into a wet paste

1 onion, sliced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

spring onion, chopped

Start with sauteing the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chili till lightly brown. Next add in the spice paste and curry leaves and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the paste being burnt. The lamb mince will go in next, give it a good mix and add in the carrot and peas while the lamb is medium rare. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or till the mixture is quite dry, salt and pepper to taste.

When the spiced minced is completely cooled down, add in the onion slices, spring onion and eggs.

for the dough;

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

Mix everything till u get a very soft dough, dont over work it. leave it cover for 1 hour.

Next divide dough into 7 portions, oil each ball , cover and leave it over night.

Now work on each individual ball, first flatten it with your palm on an oiled surface then pull it with your finger till its so thin you can see your work top.

Next sprinkle about a tbs of cooking oil on the thinned out pastry and roll it into a large cigar, trapping as much air as you can

 Lift it up by holding one of the end, with a circular motion coil it up and pinch the 2 ends together

For plain roti canai, flatten the puffy looking dough after the 20 minutes rest. Fry them individually on a heated tava or pan till golden brown on each side

to assemble;

Roll out the puffy dough and add some filling in the middle, fold the edges in to get a square parcel. Place it on a medium heat griddle and fry till golden brown.

P.S  I cooked all parcels to 70% done and heat them up later . This way you'll be able to clean up all the oily surfaces before your guests arrive.

Place some filling in the middle.

Fold into a square parcel

Fry on a hot tava or nonstick fry pan

I served it with a simple cucumber and mint raita and a quick relish of cucumber, pineapple, red onion and red chili. Happy ending!