Khinkali, which is a Georgian type of Dumplings, originated in mountainous regions of Mtiuleti, Pshavi and Khevsureti. Later Khinkali varieties spread across the Caucasus region. They are made of mixed pork and beef, sometimes of lamb. Sometimes Khinkali are filled with mushrooms, potatoes, or cheese instead of meat.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 kg of flour
500 mg of water
Salt

For the stuffing:
1 kg of minced meat (mixed beef and pork)
3 onions
Salt
Ground red pepper
Water
Cumin (optional)

Preparation:

Add salt to flour, pour in water and knead. After the dough is formed, put it on the table and knead with your palms until you get a dense, elastic mass. Leave it for about half an hour and prepare the stuffing in the meantime.
Add salt, pepper, minced onions and a bit of cumin to the meat, then add a bit of water, but be careful not to dilute it too much.

 

Roll the dough out until it’s around half a centimeter thick, then cut round pieces out of it and flatten them a bit more afterwards. If you want the pieces to be bigger than usual, it is perfectly fine to make the dough even thinner.
Put a teaspoon of meat in the middle of each round piece of dough and close it up, forming a round “sack”. Sprinkle flour on the cutting board and put completed Khinkali on it. This process should be fast in order not to allow meat juice to soak the dough too much, otherwise the Khinkali may open or burst during boiling.

 

 

Make sure you knead the minced meat as you’re making Khinkali, to make sure the meat juice is evenly distributed inside them. Meanwhile, water should be boiling in a large cooking pot nearby. Add some salt to the water, throw in the Khinkali and carefully stir with a wooden spoon so that they don’t stick to walls or bottom.
You will know when Khinkali are done: they will swell and float to the surface. Scoop them out and sprinkle with black pepper.

 

 

NB: This is a recipe for “mtiuluri” Khinkali which is a common recipe of the mountainous regions of Georgia. Khinkali of the “kalakuri” type (which means ‘urban’ style) are made in the same way, with the exception of adding greens and crushed garlic to the meat.