Mantı is a type of steamed dumpling, typical of Turkish cuisine and Central Asia, related to the baozi and mandu of the Far East. Mantı consists of a mixture of meat with spices wrapped in dough, usually minced lamb or beef, which is boiled or steamed. In Turkish cuisine, the typical mantı is served with yoghurt and garlic and is seasoned with paprika powder and melted butter. Sumac or mint can also be added for flavour.
Mantı was brought to Anatolia by Turks who emigrated from Central Asia. Apparently, Turkish and Mongolian horsemen travelling on the backs of their horses carried frozen or dry mantı so that they could quickly prepare it over a fire during their trips. Another dish related to mantı that is also prepared in Turkey is Tatar Böregi or ‘Tatar Pie’ (the dough is larger than that of mantı), whose name indicates the relationship of this food with the nomadic peoples of Central Asia.
Ingredients for 4-6 people
- 500g flour
- 500g minced lamb
- 2 eggs
- 8 natural yoghurts
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- 2 large onions
- 1 handful of parsley
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- mint
- paprika
- salt
Preparation
Before starting, chop the onion finely and put it in a large frying pan with a little oil to fry. Then take the minced meat and fry it in the pan with the onion until it is well done; after about 5 minutes it will be done, turn off the heat and add the parsley, finely chopped, half a tablespoon of paprika and another half a tablespoon of salt, mixing everything well. Leave it to one side to cool.
Also prepare the yoghurt sauce separately, pouring the yoghurts with the finely chopped garlic cloves and half a teaspoon of salt into a glass bowl. Mix it well and leave it to stand.
Then take a large bowl and pour in the 500 grams of flour, mixed with a teaspoon of salt and the two eggs, and add water, kneading and mixing well at the same time until the resulting dough acquires consistency, remaining soft but not sticking. Once finished, divide into 4 equal parts and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Then roll out each of the parts into which you have divided the dough (this will make it easier), using a rolling pin, making it thinner and thinner until it is approximately one millimetre thick. Once you have achieved this, use a knife to divide each of the doughs that you have been rolling out into small squares of approximately 3 cm. on each side, and in each square put a teaspoon of the meat that you had previously prepared in the frying pan; then close each square over the meat, wrapping it with the dough as if it was a parcel.
When you have finished preparing all the squares, they can be put in the oven at 180 ºC for about 15 minutes to dry the dough, although this is not always necessary.
Prepare a pot with about two litres of water and bring to the boil; then add the ‘little packets’ that you have prepared and leave them boiling over a medium heat for 15 minutes (if you have heated them in the oven beforehand it is more difficult for them to open when boiling), draining them when finished.
Once boiled and ready, pour the packets into the bowls in which you are going to serve the mantı, and add approximately a glass of the yoghurt sauce that you prepared earlier. Then quickly heat the butter in a saucepan, heating it until it melts and then adding half a tablespoon of paprika (add less if you want less spicy) and another half tablespoon of mint, mixing everything well.
Also pour this sauce over the mantı in circles to decorate the whole dish, which you can now serve at the table and start to enjoy.
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Funda is a master of Turkish cuisine. Her cooking skills have led her to participate in all kinds of contests and competitions, and she has won numerous awards for her recipes. If you try one of her dishes… Say goodbye to your diet!
