Meat Mutabbaq

Mutabbaq means folded, and that is exactly what happens at street stalls across Saudi Arabia, especially in Jeddah and the southern region of Najran. Paper-thin dough is stretched until translucent, piled with spiced minced meat, beaten egg, and sliced leeks, then folded into a neat square and fried until it crackles. Vendors work so fast it looks like a magic trick, and the line never gets shorter. The sweet version, filled with banana and drizzled with syrup, is just as loved.

The folded street snack

The pastry shatters when you bite it, giving way to a soft, juicy filling of savory meat and egg bound with onion and leek. The outside is crisp and golden, the inside warm and comforting, and a squeeze of chili or lemon makes it sing. It is the perfect lunch or snack, and once you master the folding, it is just as good in your own kitchen as from the stall. Once the filling is in, the folding is easier than it looks — just work quickly so the dough stays soft.

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