Hawker Classics
Authentic Singaporean Beef Murtabak Recipe
This Murtabak recipe brings the iconic taste of Singapore's Indian-Muslim stalls right into your kitchen. It features a savory, spiced beef rempah folded into a thin, crispy dough with onions and egg for a truly satisfying hawker-style meal.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 520 kcal
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the ginger, garlic, and half of the diced red onions until they become soft and aromatic.
Stir in the meat curry powder and a small splash of water to create a thick rempah paste. Add the minced beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until the meat is fully browned and the mixture is relatively dry. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool.
For each serving, whisk one egg in a bowl. Add a quarter of the cooked beef mixture, a handful of raw diced onions, and some chopped spring onions. Mix well.
Thaw a piece of frozen roti prata just enough to make it pliable. On a clean, lightly oiled surface, gently stretch the dough outwards from the center until it is thin and translucent without tearing.
Place the egg and meat mixture in the middle of the stretched dough. Fold the four sides over the filling to create a neat square or rectangular envelope.
Heat a large flat pan or griddle with a thin layer of oil over medium-low heat. Carefully place the murtabak fold-side down onto the pan.
Fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until the exterior is golden brown and crispy and the egg filling inside is completely set.
Cut into bite-sized squares and serve immediately with a side of curry gravy and pickled sliced onions in sweetened vinegar.
Notes
Make sure the meat filling is completely cooled before adding it to the raw egg to prevent the egg from curdling early.
The secret to a good murtabak is a dry meat filling; if the rempah is too watery, the dough will become soggy and tear.
If you find stretching the dough difficult, you can overlap two pieces of lightly rolled-out prata dough to create a larger surface area.
Use medium-low heat to ensure the egg inside cooks through before the outside burns.
