Manti
Manti are a typical local dish. (There is, apparently, some dispute as to the origin of Manti – Turkish, Tartar, or … somewhere else in Central Asia.)
They are small, steamed, dumplings with a filling of diced meat, onion and perhaps potato and/or pumpkin.
Although manti are traditionally steamed - some recipes suggest boiling them, as with ravioli, but this is how a different dish – pelmeni – is prepared. There are also “baked manti” and “fried manti”.
A mantishnitza (steamer) is a special pan for cooking manti. It is like a multi-tiered saucepan in which water is poured into the bottom pan, and the other tiers have holes in the bottom through which the steam rises. They fit one on top of the other and placed over the boiling water – with a lid on the pan which comprises the top tier.
Recipe:
Ingredients: 1 kg of flour; 1 egg; ; 2 bulbs of garlic; 200 grams of fat; 2 big onions; 1 kg beef or mutton finely chopped or minced; (Pumpkin or potatoes may be added or substituted for meat); ½ teaspoon red pepper; ½ teaspoon black pepper; salt.
Method:
- Oil the trays of the steamer.
- Mix the flour, egg, and 2 cups of hot water with one-teaspoon of salt to make the dough. Knead until soft. Leave it to stand, covered with a large bowl, for 30 minutes.
- Cut the fat into small piece and add to the finely chopped meat. Cut the onions and garlic into small pieces and add to meat mixture. Add peppers. Dissolve 1-tablespoon salt into 2 cups warm water and stir into mixture.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll the dough out onto floured board or table until the dough is thin but won’t break. Cut it into strips, about 10 cm in width. Cut the strips to make squares, about 10cm square. Place one tablespoon of meat mixture on each square. Bring up two diagonal corners of the dough and press them together on top – do the same with the other two corners. Bring two corners next to each other on the sides and press them together. Do the same with the remaining two corners.
- Place the prepared manti onto the steaming trays so that they don’t touch each other (they will stick together if placed too close). Steam for 40 to 50 minutes.
A portion is normally five served on a plate, and they are doused with vinegar and eaten with the hands. This can cause problems because often the pasta will fall apart and spill the filing all over the plate, table or diner. It is probably a good idea to ample supply of paper serviettes to wipe your hands, face and to clean up any spillages.
They make a cheap, tasty and and filling meal.
Bishkek