Khinkali with meat
7 servings
20 minutes
Khinkali is the pride of Georgian cuisine, a symbol of hospitality and delicious feasting. These juicy dumplings made from elastic dough hide a fragrant meat filling enriched with spices and herbs inside. When cut, khinkali releases a rich broth, making them incredibly juicy. The taste of khinkali is a harmony of tender meat, spicy seasonings, and fresh herbs with a slight peppery heat. They are traditionally served hot and eaten without forks—held by the tail and carefully sipped for the broth. This recipe carries centuries of Caucasian culinary history where meat, dough, and spices unite in a culinary masterpiece. Khinkali is not just food; it is true art that brings friends and family together at one table.
1
To prepare the dough, pour the flour onto a large flat dish, form a mound, make a well in the center, pour in water (600 ml), add salt, an egg, and knead a very stiff dough.
- Wheat flour: 2 kg
- Mineral water: 1 l
- Salt: to taste
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
2
Divide the dough into pieces and roll out thin flatbreads (about 70 grams each). It is very important for the dough to be elastic and strong to prevent tearing in the finished khinkali.
3
To prepare the minced meat, cut the meat into pieces and pass it through a meat grinder (important - the meat should have some fat, and it doesn't need to be cleaned).
- Beef: 500 g
- Pork: 500 g
- Pork internal fat: 150 g
4
Chop the greens (cilantro, parsley, green onion) finely and pass them through a meat grinder with the minced meat.
- Coriander: 15 g
- Parsley: 5 g
5
Next, we pass the onion, garlic, and green pepper through the meat grinder with the minced meat.
- Onion: 80 g
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Green chilli pepper: 1 piece
6
Mix the obtained mass well, adding spices (salt, pepper, ground red pepper) during the process.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Ground red pepper: to taste
7
Pour mineral water (about 400ml) into the prepared minced meat. Add as much water as the minced meat can absorb. This is how the famous juice appears inside the khinkali.
- Mineral water: 1 l
8
Everything is ready to prepare khinkali.
9
Place the minced meat in the center (about 50 g) of the pre-rolled flatbread. The filling on the flatbread should be approximately equal to the weight of the dough.
- Beef: 500 g
- Pork: 500 g
10
Khinkali is closed with a knot, gathering the ends into small folds. A perfect khinkali should have no less than 18 pleats. The remaining tail is cut off.
11
Boil khinkali in salted water for 12-13 minutes. When the khinkali float, they are ready.
- Salt: to taste
12
It is necessary to remove carefully to avoid tearing the dough, as all the juice will leak out and the khinkali will lose their charm.
13
Before serving khinkali, it must be rinsed with cold water.