Entree: Tajikistan – Southern Culinary Region – Манту ➤ Mantu (Steamed Central Asian meat dumplings served with a spiced tomato sauce and fried onions)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 50 min

Cook 10 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

- Dough:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- Filling:
- 1 lb (454 g) ground lamb
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped, approx. 10 oz (280 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- Sauce and toppings:
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced, approx. 8 oz (225 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) sugar
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240 g) plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro or dill
- 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, melted (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Make the dough by mixing flour and salt, add warm water and oil, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling: heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté chopped onions until translucent, then add garlic and cook 1 minute. Cool slightly and combine with ground lamb, cumin, coriander, pepper, and 1 tsp salt; mix thoroughly.
3. Roll the dough into a long log and cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin round about 3–4 inches (7–10 cm) across.
4. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each round, fold edges up and pinch to form a pleated pouch or sealed dumpling. Place mantu on parchment squares for steaming.
5. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan, add sliced large onion and fry over medium heat until deeply golden and crisp; remove and drain on paper towels to use as topping.
6. For the tomato-garlic sauce, sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp oil for 30 seconds, add crushed tomatoes, sugar, pepper, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water; simmer 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. Steam the mantu in a steamer basket over boiling water for 25–30 minutes, until dough is tender and filling is cooked through.
8. To serve, place mantu on a platter, spoon warm tomato-garlic sauce over them, add a dollop of plain yogurt, scatter fried onions and chopped herbs, and drizzle with melted butter if using.