Manti is a traditional dumpling dish that is enjoyed around the world. They are commonly enjoyed in Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and each country has its own variation of it. I am going to be sharing a recipe for Central Asian, specifically Kyrgyz manti. If you are in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and wish to take manti cooking class, I recommend the following:
WHAT IS MANTI?
To begin, manti are simply dumplings that are filled with minced meat, onions, and spices. They are then folded by hand with beautiful pleats and then steamed until cooked through. Making manti is a time-consuming process but the results are well worth the effort. I remember making these when the sun was up and by the time we were eating them, it was already dark outside. Even though it took hours to make, we devoured them in a matter of minutes.
Manti is a delicious meal and I'll be outlining the steps of how you can make manti at home. Unfortunately, I don't have the exact measurements because I measure everything by look and feel, and my boyfriend's mom was able to teach me how to make these. However, I'll be sharing links to recipes that I found that do have the exact measurements.
HOW TO MAKE MANTI (CENTRAL ASIAN CUISINE)
Step 1. Make the dough
Mix flour, water, one egg, and salt into a bowl. Knead the dough until there are no visible pieces of flour. The completed dough should not be wet to the touch and you can expect to knead it for fifteen to twenty minutes. Leave the dough aside for one hour. It is a workout on its own and this is my least favorite part about making manti. To save time and my wrist, I buy frozen dough at the grocery shops then defrost it when it is ready to be used.
Step 2. Prepare the filling
For the filling, you will use lamb or beef, onion, potato, and pumpkin (optional). You can always switch it up but I noticed that pumpkin is commonly put in manti during the fall since that's when it's pumpkin season. Each ingredient needs to be cut up into small pieces, around the size of the nail of your little finger. For spices, it is quite straightforward. You need to put in salt, pepper, and cumin.
Step 3. Assemble the manti
Now that you have the filling and dough prepared, we are ready to assemble the manti. Roll the dough thinly and cut circular pieces from it. To emphasize, the dough needs to be rolled thinly, but not so thin when you put in the filling, the dough will rip.
Once you have the dough, put a tablespoon of the filling inside it. The most difficult part of making manti is making the classic manti shape and making those beautiful pleats. Personally, I'm unable to do it and I can't even explain how to do it. So, I just make it into the classic Korean dumpling shape where I just fold the circle in half and make small pleats along the side.
Step 4. Steam the manti
Once all the manti is prepared, you are ready to steam it. We used a multi-layer steamer and had to steam it for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 5. Eat and enjoy!
Now that your manti are ready, it's time for you to eat and enjoy. I've seen them served with various sauces on the side. I like to enjoy them with a mixture of vinegar and pepper. Also, I've seen restaurants typically serve them with a sweet type of ketchup sauce.
I hope you try making these manti at home. It may be time-consuming but rest assured, the final result will be worth it. If you had a chance to try making them, tell me how it went in the comments below.
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