Everyone knows meat products such as manti. Whose national dish do they represent? In the countries of the former USSR, it is customary to consider them an Uzbek invention. But is it really so?
Each of the Asian peoples considers them to be its own dish, but it is known that they were invented in the territory of modern China. However, it was not the Chinese who came up with them, but the Uyghurs who lived in that region. This suggests that the more correct answer to the question: "Manti - whose national dish?" - will be: "Uyghur."
History
The prototype of this dish was called “mantou”, which means “steamed bread”, and there was no filling in it. Subsequently, when the dish began to spread throughout Asia, steam bread began to be filled with various products. At the same time, each of the peoples began to use its own filling. So, in Kazakhstan, they add chopped beef, onions, mutton fat, pumpkin and potatoes. In some regions of Russia, manti is cooked with such a filling as in dumplings, with any minced meat. Tatars can make this dish without adding meat, using jusai instead.
Thus, a single recipe does not exist, and each people makes different manti. Whose national dish is most prevalent these days? Probably, these are Central Asian options with minced meat filling. This recipe is considered classic and the most popular.
What is the difference between manti?
Whose national dish these products are, a definite answer cannot be given - this follows from the above. What are they? Manti are a bit like chebureks and dumplings, but they also have significant differences. As already noted, their preparation does not occur in oil, water or broth, but by steaming. In addition, there are many features associated with their preparation. Manti, a step-by-step recipe for which is given in this article, must be fastened with the neck of a glass bottle or a rolling pin. If you sculpt them with your hands, this will not provide the desired degree of tightness. They need to be made so that they do not fall apart during cooking in a double boiler or a special device. Tightness is also important in order to preserve the broth inside each product.
The classic recipe also involves the use of not pure minced meat, but mixing it with other toppings (carrots, onions, pumpkin, dill). Additives can also make the product more edgy. Another variant of sculpting products is possible - in the form of vessels with an open top (they can be four- or triangular in shape).
So how to cook manti?
To do this, you need the following ingredients:
- 0.5 kilograms of wheat flour.
- 150 grams of pork.
- 150 grams of beef.
- 300 grams of onion.
- 20 grams of vegetable oil.
- 0.5 liters of sour cream.
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt.
- 300 milliliters of water.
- Spices and herbs.
Cooking process
Take a large bowl and pour flour into it. In the middle, you need to make a hole in which you need to pour the egg and pour salt. After that, carefully pour boiled slightly cooled water, adding it along the edge of the mug, stirring constantly. When a loose uniform mass is formed, you need to start kneading the dough. This will take about 15 minutes. As soon as the dough reaches elasticity, you need to cover it with a napkin and leave it for a while.
While it is "defending", you should do the filling. You need to mix beef and pork in equal parts and add the same amount of chopped onion (50/50). In order for the broth to be present in the finished products, dilute the minced meat with water (about 100 ml will be enough), and then put spices to taste and salt.
Then roll the dough into a thin layer and cut it into circles using a glass or mug. The filling is laid out in each, after which two opposite edges rise up and pinch. After that, the “ears” located on opposite sides are held together. For each circle of dough you need to put about one tablespoon of minced meat.
It is also worth noting that delicious manti is obtained with a filling of lamb and beef. This option is common among Muslims who do not eat pork. Varieties of lamb toppings with the addition of potatoes or pumpkin are also popular. Vegetarians and fasting can make a filling of potatoes and onions with various spices or herbs.
How to cook classic manti?
Sheets of a double boiler or cacakan must be covered with a layer of vegetable oil in order to avoid sticking of the dough. Then approximately 1/3 of the pan of water should be boiled, after which sheets with products laid out on them should be placed over the steam. From above it is necessary to cover a design with a cover. Manti, a step-by-step recipe for which is described above, must be cooked for 40 minutes.
Traditionally, they should be served hot. As a sauce, sour cream is used, which can be mixed with herbs or garlic. It is also possible to use sour milk instead of sour cream - this is how Turkish manti is usually served.