Khinkali from Saperavi

Women making khinkali are much respected and considered to be a gift of God in the family in Georgia. We met Moscow Chef Maya Toriya and spoke about the magic of such mountain Georgian dish.

Cooking time —
Complication —

In recipe book

Main ingridient: mutton
Category: meat dishes

Ingredients:

For dough (50 pc);

Flour — 2 kg;
Eggs — 2 pc (only whites needed);
Salt — 20 g;
Water — 750 g.

For filling:

Minced beef — 2 kg;
Lard — 300 g;
White onion — 30 g;
Green hot pepper — 60 g;
Cilantro — 25 g;
Salt — 28 g;
Water — 1l.

Step 1

The dough for khinkali consists of only 4 elements: flour, white egg, salt and water. We exclude yolk because it’s fat and makes the dough not as tough and elastic as needed.

Step 2

Cooks in the kitchen of Saperavi Café make the dough in a processor for 15 minutes, then leave it in a plastic bag for an hour to get gluten swelled. Then they unroll the dough on a machine into a very thin layer.

Step 3

Then they roll it out tough.

Step 4

They slightly compress it on edges. So, this is the dough for khinkali.

Step 5

Cut the dough for small sausages per 40 g before cooking.

Step 6

Roll out each piece of dough into a very thin scone and stuff with the filling.

Step 7

The filling includes minced beef, lard, finely chopped cilantro, hot green pepper and white onion. Then add water to make the filling juicy.

Step 8

Place the filling on rolled out dough.

Step 9

Then follow the ancient knowledge: pick up the edges of the dough into the same width folds.

Step 10

They should cover the filling.

Step 11

Then compress the dough on top to prevent the juice pouring out.

Step 12

Compress the top well beginning from top and going down. By the way, the narrow bottom of khinkali is a sign of cook’s excellent skills.

Step 13

Having made khinkali, tear out the uneven tail. It’s important to take it out flat, right and manually. If the hostess cuts khinkali with knife, it might be considered as disrespect towards the guest.