Kundyums with lentils and vegetables
4 servings
80 minutes
Kundiums with lentils and vegetables are an ancient Russian dish carefully preserved in culinary history. These small baked pies with thin dough and hearty filling of fragrant lentils, stewed carrots, and Beijing cabbage offer a unique harmony of taste. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, kundiums absorb the spicy broth that fills them with a rich aroma. Traditionally prepared on fasting days, this dish replaces meat dishes with its nutritious filling. The combination of spices – asafoetida, coriander, and cardamom – gives kundiums a special Eastern touch. They can be served as a main dish or as an appetizing snack accompanied by greens and aromatic broth.
1
Prepare the filling for the kundyums. Rinse the lentils, place them in a pot, and cover with boiling water. Salt and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until soft. Make a puree from the cooked lentils using a blender. Salt and cook over medium heat for another 30 minutes until soft.
- Lentils: 150 g
- Water: 1 l
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
2
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Grate the carrot on a coarse grater. Place a pan on the heat, pour in oil and fry the spices. Add the carrot and mix. Chop the Chinese cabbage. Add it to the carrot, salt it and sauté until ready.
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons
- Asafoetida (hing): 0.7 teaspoon
- Napa cabbage (pak choi type): 400 g
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
3
Preparing the filling for kundyums.
4
Put lentil puree and cooked vegetables in a bowl and mix. The filling for kundyums is ready. (It turns out very tasty and is also suitable for pies and vegetarian chebureks.) Now knead the dough like for dumplings. Combine vegetable oil, salt, and boiling water in a bowl. Add flour, quickly mix with a spoon, then knead with your hands. Roll the dough thinly and cut into squares about 7 × 7 cm.
- Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Boiling water: 200 ml
- Wheat flour: 330 g
5
Put filling on each square.
6
Lift the opposite corners of the square and connect the edges of the dough. We will get triangles. Form kundyums by connecting two corners of the triangle. Place the kundyums on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet (size 35 × 40 cm). Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
7
While the dumplings are baking, prepare the broth. Pour water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add all the ingredients (spices: 1/2 tsp asafoetida, ground coriander, a pinch of ground cardamom, 6 allspice berries, 1 bay leaf) to the broth and boil for 2 minutes after it starts boiling, then turn off the heat. Place the baked dumplings in a mold (size 25 × 35 cm) and pour the broth over them.
- Water: 1 l
- Asafoetida (hing): 0.7 teaspoon
- Ground ginger: 0.3 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: 0.3 teaspoon
8
Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 degrees. Serve the dumplings with broth. You can sprinkle some herbs on top.