They are called “Georgian treasures”. The Georgian khinkali recipe is a closely guarded secret of many Georgian housewives. These small sachets hide a delicate filling immersed in an aromatic broth. Khinkali is a precious pearl of Caucasian cuisine that should be tasted at least once in a lifetime.
Where did khinkali come from in Georgia? Nobody knows that. They are probably a consequence of the historical and geographical location of the country. It is believed that the very concept of boiled stuffed dough was brought from China by the Mongols. They found the little parcels made by their eastern neighbors to be the perfect snack on the go. Easy to transport, nutritious, ideally cold and warm. What more could you want ?! Unlike the Mongols themselves, their noodles bloodlessly conquered subsequent regions, becoming dumplings in Russia, dumplings in Ukraine, khingal in Azerbaijan and, finally, khinkali in Georgia. Each nation has breathed its own spirit into this simple dish, giving it a unique taste.
The Georgian species consisted of large bags filled with meat filling and broth. In the mountains, khinkali is stuffed with minced mutton. Pork dumplings are sold in city restaurants and shops. Regardless of the option, the filling is seasoned with a mixture of spices and herbs: caraway seeds, coriander, pepper, sweet pepper. A portion of raw minced meat is placed inside, which, when cooked, fills it with a fragrant broth. Traveling through breathtaking Georgia, we will also come across vegetarian varieties of this dish: khinkali potilit (with potatoes), khinkali sokoti (with mushrooms) and khinkali kvelit (with sulguni cheese).
You know that…
Georgian khinkali are often compared to Chinese xiao long bao - steamed dumplings with a similar shape of twisted pouches. Inside there is also a meat filling (with the addition of Chinese cabbage and ginger) and a decoction, which, thanks to a large amount of gelatin, takes the form of a jelly. In Chinese dumplings, as in khinkali, a small hole should be made through which we drink the liquid middle. Then pour in some special sauce (a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic) and eat the rest.
Art is khinkali
The sight of tourists trying to taste this wonderful delicacy with a knife and fork makes Georgians frown. Dough cutting is a tasting recipe. All the liquid is poured onto the plate, and yet khinkali without broth is no longer khinkali. Therefore, it is worth preparing for a visit to a Georgian restaurant by learning a few simple rules for eating khinkali.
The first and most important rule: we eat khinkali with our hands! It is worth supporting larger khinkali from below so that the heavy filling does not tear the tender dough. Take a bite from the bottom of the bag and drink the hot broth from it. We eat the rest, leaving the tail - because of its thickness, it is usually undercooked.
Georgians do not drink wine from khinkali. This is a typical beer snack.
They eat khinkali without sauces and with a side dish. Fans of savory flavors can sprinkle with ground black pepper.
Eating khinkali is a social event for Georgians, an opportunity to meet, talk and joke. Dinners quickly turn into an all-night feast.
Georgian khinkali recipe
Dough:
- 1 kg of flour;
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 glasses of warm water;
- 1 teaspoon of oil.
Filling:
- 500 g ground beef;
- 400 g minced pork;
- 2 finely chopped onions;
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped;
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon savory;
- 2 tablespoons of butter.
Knead the dough components, as for dumplings, until an elastic mass is obtained. We leave for 15 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut out large circles with a diameter of 13 cm.
Fry the finely chopped onion in a small skillet. We mix beef and pork. Add the glazed onions and the rest of the ingredients. We mix.
Place the filling in the center of the circle and fold into a so-called overlap, being careful not to pierce the dough. This will create the characteristic pouch shape.
Put khinkali in boiling lightly salted water. Wait for them to rise to the surface, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the dough.
