Mutabbaq
Instructions
Tips
Cooking for iftar can be a lot of work, but with an easy recipe like our mutabbaq recipe, it is a breeze to prepare for the celebration with family and friends. In addition to being quick and easy, you can even make it in advance. You can, for example, make and freeze a big batch and reheat it in the oven just before eating time, or you can prepare only the meat filling and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble it with the paratha and cheese. The meat filling will last for 1-2 days in the fridge, and because of the eggs in the filling, make sure not to keep it for too long.
Questions about murtabak
Our mutabbaq, or murtabak, with beef filling and deliciously melted cheese is so easy to make, you will want it on your iftar table every day. To learn more about the traditional recipe, keep reading below.
Ingredients
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Frozen paratha dough sheets, thawed
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5 |
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Vegetable oil for spreading the dough
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Filling:
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Beef mince
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300 g |
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Onions, chopped
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10 g |
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Tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
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50 g |
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Green peppers, finely diced
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40 g |
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Spring onions, chopped
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25 g |
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Leeks, (green part) chopped
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25 g |
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Eggs
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2 |
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Cinnamon
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¼ tsp |
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Cumin
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½ tsp |
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Mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix, shredded
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200 g |
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Lemons wedges for serving
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Traditional beef mutabbaq with cheese
Snacks and light side dishes play a big role at an iftar table, and these beef mutabbaq with cheese are perfect for that role. With traditional flavours, a hearty, savoury beef and vegetable filling, and melted, gooey cheese wrapped in flaky, golden paratha, our mutabbaq will be a hit for guests and family members of all ages.
The shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese in the folded paratha packages does wonders for the mutabbaq in terms of both consistency and flavour, adding a gooey, melty texture to the minced meat and slightly crunchy vegetable filling, and a mild cheese flavour to the overall experience when taking a bite of the traditional snack.
The filling is flavoured with cumin and cinnamon, highlighting the recipe's Middle Eastern origin. The two spices work great together, cumin being warming, nutty, and slightly sweet, and cinnamon packing a punch with a woody, slightly citrusy and spicy flavour. They are delicious with meat like beef, adding incomparable depth and aroma.
Folded paratha dough with meat and vegetable filling
Mutabbaq means 'folded' in Arabic, which is exactly what this dish is; paratha folded over and around a cheese, beef, and vegetable filling to a closed package fried to golden, crispy perfection on a pan. Paratha is unleavened flatbread; it has buttery, flaky layers, and is perfect to keep in savoury fillings. You can use it as it is, pan-fry it, or bake it with filling in the oven until golden. If you buy it frozen or make it yourself to freeze, you always have flaky paratha in the freezer ready to make sandwiches, wraps, or this delicious paratha mutabbaq.
Cheesy, quick, and easy mutabbaq for iftar
Our mutabbaq recipe is a perfect, quick, and easy addition to any iftar table. The filling takes little work; you can easily let it rest for a while if you have other dishes to prepare. Requiring only filling, cheese, and paratha, it is quite simple, too, requiring only an easy folding before frying on a pan. Serve as it is as a larger, cheesy side dish, or as snacks cut into strips or squares on a platter.
When something is cheesy, it is an instant hit with all ages, which is why we opted for a generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and cheddar that turns into a gooey, melted delight after pan-frying the mutabbaq. It also holds the filling together, making for easier bites almost like finger food; perfect as snacks at iftar. And the best thing is, you decide how much cheese gets into each folded package, so you can go all out on cheese if you want to.
Experiment with the filling's ingredients
The mutabbaq filling is versatile, making it easy to experiment with. You can, for example, make a chicken mutabbaq with thinly sliced chicken breast. You can also add more, or other, vegetables, like grilled courgette or aubergine, or put a spin to the spices by using ground cloves or freshly grated ginger. For a spicy touch, use finely chopped chilli pepper to taste. Just make sure not to use ingredients with too much liquid as this might make the filling soggy, and, if adding vegetables or chicken slices, make the pieces or slices bite-sized so you get a homogenous filling.
