Mutabbaq

About This Recipe

Mutabbaq — meaning 'folded' in Arabic — is a street food icon beloved across Saudi Arabia and Southeast Asia (where it is also known as Martabak). In the Saudi version, a thin, flaky dough is stretched, filled with a fragrant mixture of spiced minced beef or lamb mixed with eggs, spring onions, and herbs, then expertly folded into a square parcel and fried in clarified butter until shatteringly crisp and golden. Sold from street stalls in every major Saudi city, Mutabbaq is eaten as a hearty snack, light lunch, or late-night treat. The crispy exterior gives way to a moist, flavourful filling that is deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsplain flour
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 150 mlwarm water
• 2 tbspvegetable oil (for dough)
• 300 gminced beef or lamb
• 1 mediumonion, finely diced
• 3 stalksspring onions, sliced
• 3 largeeggs, beaten
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1/2 tspground cinnamon
• 1/2 tspground black pepper
• 1/2 tspground cardamom
• 2 tspsalt (for filling)
• 4 tbspghee or clarified butter, for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Make and rest the dough

   Mix flour, salt, oil, and warm water into a smooth dough. Knead 5 minutes. Divide into 4 balls. Coat in oil, cover, and rest at room temperature 1 hour.

2. 2

   Cook the filling

   Brown minced meat in a dry pan. Add onion and cook until soft. Season with cumin, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and salt. Cool completely, then mix with spring onions and beaten egg.

3. 3

   Stretch the dough

   On an oiled surface, stretch each dough ball as thin as possible without tearing — almost translucent. Aim for a large, roughly circular sheet.

4. 4

   Fill and fold

   Place one-quarter of the filling in the centre of each sheet. Fold the dough edges over to form a square parcel, enclosing the filling completely.

5. 5

   Fry until golden

   Heat ghee in a large flat pan over medium heat. Fry each Mutabbaq parcel 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and shatteringly crisp. Drain and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian Mutabbaq: fill with spiced potatoes, cheese, and herbs.

• •

  Sweet Mutabbaq: fill with banana, chocolate, and condensed milk — popular in Southeast Asian versions.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

• •

  Lighter: reduce the fat by a third and finish with a squeeze of citrus or a splash of vinegar to keep brightness without losing body.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Reheat in a dry pan to restore crispness — avoid microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions