STRETCHED

I am a foodie. I try to connect everything with food. I want to share this recipe and talk about being stretched.

MURTABAK – MALAYSIAN STREET FOOD

DOUGH:

2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR, ¾ TSP SALT, 1 TBSP CLARIFIED BUTTER

Mix the above ingredients. Add warm water if need to bind them together.

¼ CUP MILK, ¼ CUP OIL, 1 EGG

Mix these ingredients and add a little at a time to the mixture above until it becomes a dough. Apply oil to a flat surface and knead the dough for about 5 to 10 mins. Make small balls and place them in a greased pan. Brush the balls with more oil. Cover the pan with plastic and keep it in a warm place for 2-3 hours to allow it to marinate.

FILLING:

250 GM MINCED CHICKEN

1 TSP OIL

½ TSP CHOPPED GARLIC

¼ TSP SALT

¼ TSP PEPPER

¼ TSP CHILI POWDER

¼ TSP GARAM MASALA

Heat pot with the oil and add garlic. Sauté for 1 min., then add the chicken. Sauté on high flame for 2 min. Add salt, pepper, chili powder. Cover and cook for 10 mins. on medium flame. Add water only if it gets too dry.  Add garam masala and mix. Remove and cool.

In a separate bowl, mix

1 CHOPPED ONION, 1 PINCH SALT, 1 PINCH PEPPER, 1 FINELY CHOPPED TOMATO

Once cool, add the chicken to THE BOWL AND SET ASIDE.

Apply oil to flat surface. Taking 1 ball at a time, flatten it and stretch it as thin as possible without tearing it. Place a spoonful of filling in the middle. Fold over to make a rectangle/square. Heat a flat pan and fry the murtabak. Make sure all the sides get that crispy golden-brown look. Remove from the pan, brush with butter and sprinkle lightly with salt. Enjoy!

 

We, as long as we are in the world, will be stretched in all directions:- by children, by spouse, by community, by family, neighbors and the list goes on. It is not only physically but spiritually too.

However, God prepares us from the day we accept Jesus, (Romans 10: 9-10 –  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation), because He has a plan and purpose for our lives.

Like the dough balls are oiled and allowed to rest, we as baby Christians are oiled with the precious Word. We are even more empowered with the presence of Holy Spirit in our lives. (John 14:16 – And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever). He will give us a rich filling, getting us ready for the time of stretching. Like the recipe, stretching happens and God allows it but not to the point of us being crushed and broken apart.

When our muscles are not stretched properly, we will ache and pain but consider it as growing pains as we grow from glory to glory. (1 Timothy 1:16 –  However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.)

 

God wants us to stretch and grow our faith( Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Go beyond your comfort zone.
Sometimes we feel we are stretched beyond our ability to handle it. Hang in there! Your deliverance is just around the corner. Let nothing negative come out of your mouth while you wait . Just keep praising Him. Meditate on His Word because He may want you to do or stop doing something. Be still and wait on Him. Marinate in His Word.