Khinkali: Georgian Dumplings with Meat

These Georgian soup dumplings are one of the country's most famous dishes. Flavourful and surprisingly fun and easy to make, they are perfect for those wanting to create a Georgian feast at home.

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Servings 24

Prep Time 30

Additional Time 1

Total Time 1 35

Ingredients

Dough

250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
4 g (⅔ tsp) salt
1 egg room temperature
2 tbsp sunflower oil (see note 1)
85 ml (⅓ cup) hot water about 90°C/194°F

Filling

150 g (5 oz) minced pork (see note 2)
150 g (5 oz) minced beef (see note 2)
½ yellow onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic grated or very finely minced
10 g (¼ cup) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped fine
½ tsp chili flakes

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt. Make a well in the flour and add the egg and the oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until you have a dry, shaggy dough.
Add the water a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a shaggy dough forms but there are no dry spots of flour. You may not need to use all of the water (see note 3). Turn the dough out onto a clean countertop. Knead for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is supple, pliable and elastic (see note 4)
Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap, then allow to rest at room temperature for at least one hour (see note 5).
While the dough is resting, make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, onion, garlic, cilantro and chili flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Once the dough has rested, divide it into quarters keeping ¾ of the dough covered tightly while working with each section. Very lightly dust a clean work surface with flour (see note 6) and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about 1mm thick.
Using a 10cm (4-inch) circular cutter, punch out as many rounds as you can get from the dough. Gather the scraps and cover - they can be re-rolled and punched out again, but rest the dough for at least 10 minutes.
Working one dough round at a time, very gently stretch the round until it is paper thin and you can see some light passing through it. Place the round on your work surface and add about 15g worth of (½ oz) filling in the centre of the dough.
Lift one side of the dough with both hands, holding between your thumb and forefinger about 1 centimetre apart. Fold the dough in your non-dominant hand to your dominant hand, pinch to seal. Repeat until there is no more dough to fold. Twist the top of the dumpling to completely seal. If desired, use scissors to snip the very tip of the twisted top from the dumpling. Set aside and repeat with remaining dough and filling (see note 7).
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Gently add your khinkali and boil for 7 minutes, until completely cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon. Top with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Sunflower oil is the traditional neutral oil used in Georgia, however, use any kind of neutral cooking oil you have on hand.
For a vegetarian version, I have had success using 300g of Beyond Mince. The end result will not be as juicy as a traditional meat khinkali, but the flavours are spot on.
Depending on the brand of flour, the humidity level of the day and an infinite number of other factors, you could need more or less water than 85ml (1/3 cup). If you have overhydrated your dough (you will know this if it is very sticky and difficult to knead), simply add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it becomes more workable.
If you have one, the dough can also be made in a stand mixer to cut down on the kneading time. If using this method, knead the dough on medium-low for about 5 minutes until you reach the same indicators.
You can make the dough up to 3 days in advance. Cover the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature before rolling and forming into khinkali.
Be careful using too much flour as any excess will make the dumplings difficult to seal.
To Freeze: After step 9, arrange the khinkali on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer to the freezer, uncovered, until frozen solid (at least 8 hours). Remove from the baking sheet and transfer the dumplings to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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