Classic Chebureki with Meat
5 servings
60 minutes
Chebureki are crispy, juicy pastries with a meat filling deeply rooted in Tatar cuisine. Their history dates back centuries when nomadic peoples prepared nutritious dishes that preserved flavor and richness. The perfect combination of thin elastic dough and aromatic minced meat with spicy seasonings makes them indispensable at any feast. The secret of chebureki lies in the right texture of the dough, which becomes bubbly and golden when fried. Juicy inside with a thin crunch outside, they reveal their best flavor fresh and hot straight from the boiling oil. Chebureki are not just a treat but a whole ritual, especially when prepared for a large company in a warm family atmosphere.
1
Sift the flour into a bowl, sprinkle salt and sugar on top, make a well, pour in vodka and water, mix first with a fork, then transfer the dough to the table, knead for 5 minutes, adding flour as needed until the dough is very elastic. Cover the dough with a bowl, let it rest for 5 minutes, then roll it out, not too thin, fold it like an envelope to create several layers, form a ball, sprinkle it with flour, wrap it in a bag, and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
- Wheat flour: 2.5 glasss
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Sugar: 0.5 teaspoon
- Vodka: 1 tablespoon
- Water: 50 ml
2
Add salt and spices to the minced meat, gradually add water and mix until the meat is saturated with moisture and becomes juicy. Don't pour too much, then place the prepared filling in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- Minced meat: 350 g
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cumin (zira): 1 teaspoon
3
Take the dough out of the fridge, knead it again, then divide it into pieces weighing 45 grams.
4
Heat oil in a deep pot or wok. Knead a piece of dough slightly, form a ball, press it with your palm, then roll out a thin circle the size of a saucer, spreading the filling on one half.
- Vegetable oil: 200 ml
5
Cover with the second half, press with the palm to release air, press the edges, then cut with a wheel cutter; if not available, edges can be pressed with a fork. The finished cheburek should not be larger than the size of a palm.
6
Dip the cheburek in boiling oil (to check if the oil is heated properly, you can drop a piece of dough in it; if it starts frying evenly, the temperature is good). The heat should be slightly below medium; otherwise, the cheburek will burn quickly while remaining raw inside. Turn it carefully with two wide spatulas.
7
Place the ready chebureks on a napkin standing up, with seams facing up.