Filling Ingredients:
- 8 Tbs. oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1½ lbs. minced or ground beef
- 2 medium-sized shallots, minced
- 1 medium-sized onion, halved and sliced
- 2 Tbs. chopped Chinese celery leaves
- 1 Tbs. curry powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 stalk green onion, finely sliced
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Dough Ingredients:
- 2 cups white flour (unbleached preferred)
- 3 Tbs. oil
- ¾ cup water
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Prepare the dough first by combining all dough ingredients and kneading them into an oily elastic dough. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. Divide into 4 and roll each piece into a ball. Pull out with lightly oily hands on an oiled or marble surface to make a large thin circle.
- While dough is resting, make the filling. Hear oil and sauté garlic and shallots for a few seconds. Add ground beef and stir fry over medium high heat until the meat changes color. Add onion and celery leaves and continue stir frying for another 2 minutes. Add curry powder, mix well and cook another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- To finish it up, divide the cooked filling among 4 bowls. Add 1 egg, green onion, salt and pepper to each bowl and mix well.
- Heat a large heavy frying pan or griddle with 2 Tbs. oil. When it is hot, put the thin circle dough at the middle of the griddle, and fill the center of the dough with the mixture filling. Spread it to side lightly, then fold in the sides and ends to completely enclose the filling envelope fashion.
- Fry on the griddle until golden brown on one side, turn and fry the other side. Cut into pieces and serve, if desired, with Vegetables pickles and sliced chilies.
- Makes 4 martabak.