Mini-chebureki

Wash the lamb shoulder and clean it from excess tendons and fat - the upper, yellowish, unappetizing-looking fat. Cut the meat into cubes about 2 cm on each side, then chop it into minced meat with a large knife. It will be difficult at first, but in about twenty minutes, you'll have minced meat that is incomparable in juiciness to that passed through a meat grinder.

Cut the chili peppers in half, remove the seeds, and chop finely. Also chop the fresh cilantro finely. Grind the coriander in a mortar with cumin seeds. Add all this to the minced meat, sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper. Knead the mixture until homogeneous, then to make it elastic, slam it on the table several times with force.

Take the pancakes for Japanese gyoza and place about 20 grams of filling on each. Then moisten the edges of the dough with a finger, fold it in half, shape it like a cheburek, place it on the table, and press the edges with a fork to seal them well. If you aim for the same grooves, it will look very beautiful.

Pour frying oil into a saucepan and heat it until it sizzles when a cheburek is dipped in. Fry several chebureks in the oil, turning them with a slotted spoon, until golden-brown. Then transfer them to paper towels to drain excess oil.

Chebureks should, of course, be served hot. They can be accompanied by sauces: for example, mix matsoni with crushed coriander, a pinch of cumin, finely chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste. Or, put finely chopped chili in rice vinegar, boil for five minutes, add sugar, dissolve it, and serve chilled.