Mutabbaq- stuffed layered Arabian flat bread

Mutabbaq-  stuffed layered Arabian flat bread

I can’t really believe it!!! The quest for a good mutabbaq recipe is over at last!!! This is an absolute “must try” dish. Mutabbaq is the one dish my grandmother remembers from her Saudi trip almost 40 years back!!!!

Mutabbaq dough was the toughest part to get right. It needed to be very stretchable. I had a brainwave and decided to try the “porotta” dough. And it was spot on!! Get the dough ready first because it needs to rest a lot in between.

Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. (The baking powder is not a leavening agent here. It helps in rolling out the dough. This dough should develop a lot of gluten. This will fight a lot and shrink back when you try to roll or stretch it. This is why the dough should be rested after each handling.) Add in the remaining ingredients except the oil to make sticky, shaggy dough. Knead in your food processor to get a smooth dough that does not stick to the sides of the bowl but clings to the beater paddle. This feels very much like bread dough now. Add in a little bit of water or flour if needed to get the right consistency. This is very, very important. Coat the dough with one teaspoon oil, cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes.

We did two types of mutabbaq. A savoury, meat and egg filled mutabbaq and a sweet, banana-lemon filled, dessert-type mutabbaq. Both were awesome. With this recipe, I got 10 meat mutabbaq and 4 sweet ones.

You can prepare the meat filling a day before and refrigerate. Traditionally, lamb meat is used but we used chicken. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Stir fry the onions till translucent. Add the garlic, chicken mince, salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring to break lumps. Cook till all the water evaporates. Add the parsley and combine well. Take off heat and let cool completely. Add the eggs spring onion and tomato. If making ahead, add eggs only just before cooking. May be next time I will add eggs to warm mixture to prevent it from getting watery as it did this time.

Banana stuffing needs to be prepared fresh. This is very easy. Roughly mash the bananas and mix in honey, sugar, lemon rind, juice and an egg.

Divide the dough into 14 or 15 smooth balls. Try to shape them like buns- smooth and seamless. Rest again for 15-30 minutes. Oil a marble surface and press a dough ball flat. Apply oil on both sides and stretch it with your hands to get very thin dough sheet.

Keep a pastry square in the middle of the dough sheet we have spread. Place the meat or banana filling on it and spread. Fold the dough like an envelope.  Mutabbaq is now ready to fry.

Heat a cast iron griddle to medium heat. Pour one tablespoon oil and shallow fry the mutabbaq till golden and cooked through. Serve hot with lemon slices and green chillies.