Classic Georgian hand-pleated soup dumplings with a juicy, peppery beef–pork filling and a sippable broth.
Ingredients
Dough
600 g all-purpose flour
12 g fine sea salt
330 ml cool water (20–25°C)
Filling
400 g ground beef (15–20% fat)
300 g ground pork (≈20% fat)
250 g yellow onion, very finely minced
10 g garlic, grated
15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional, kalakuri style)
16 g fine sea salt
4 g freshly ground black pepper
3 g ground coriander seed
1 g crushed red pepper flakes
350 ml ice-cold unsalted beef stock (or water)
For shaping, boiling, and serving
20 g all-purpose flour, for dusting
4,000 ml water
30 g fine sea salt
4 g freshly ground black pepper
Steps
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
Create a well in the flour mixture.
Pour in the water.
Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead on a counter until smooth and elastic, 10 minutes.
Cover the dough and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place beef and pork in a large bowl.
Add onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, black pepper, coriander, and chili.
Mix the meats and aromatics until tacky and uniform, 2 minutes.
Add 90 ml ice-cold stock to the filling.
Mix the filling until the liquid is absorbed.
Add 90 ml ice-cold stock to the filling.
Mix the filling until the liquid is absorbed.
Add 90 ml ice-cold stock to the filling.
Mix the filling until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the remaining 80 ml ice-cold stock to the filling.
Mix the filling until loose, glossy, and spoonable.
Cover the filling and chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 2 equal pieces.
Roll the first piece into a 4 cm-thick rope.
Cut the rope into 12 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a tight ball.
Roll the second piece into a 4 cm-thick rope.
Cut the rope into 12 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a tight ball.
Dust the work surface with 20 g flour.
Roll each ball into a 12–13 cm round with a slightly thicker center.
Place one dough round in your non-dominant palm.
Spoon 35 g filling into the center of the round.
Gather the edge into pleats around the filling, 15–20 pleats.
Twist the pleats firmly to seal the top.
Pinch off excess dough at the knob.
Set the dumpling on a lightly floured tray.
Repeat forming until all dumplings are shaped.
Bring 4,000 ml water to a rolling boil in a wide pot.
Stir in 30 g salt.
Add 8–10 dumplings to the pot.
Stir the pot gently to prevent sticking.
Reduce the heat to a strong simmer.
Cook the dumplings until they float and the dough is tender, 9–11 minutes.
Lift dumplings out with a slotted spoon.
Rest dumplings on a warm platter for 30 seconds.
Sprinkle dumplings with 4 g black pepper.
Repeat boiling and finishing with remaining dumplings.
Serve the dumplings hot.
Notes
Technique: The juicy “soup” comes from fully emulsifying very cold stock into the meat; keep the mixture cold so fat binds to liquid instead of separating.
Dough: Roll edges to about 2 mm and leave the center 3–4 mm so the base supports the broth.
Pleats: Aim for 18 pleats for a traditional look, but any well-sealed twist is acceptable.
Eating: Hold the top knob, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat the dumpling; many Georgians leave the knob on the plate.
Variations: For mtiuluri (mountain) style, omit cilantro, coriander, and chili; use only meat, onion, salt, pepper, and water. Lamb can replace pork for a richer version.
Cross-reference: Serve alongside tkemali (sour plum sauce) and pair with other Georgian staples like khachapuri and badrijani nigvzit.
Cooksmith